New Attack On Strikers Looms Fascists Bomb Erica Reed _ ‘Franco, Terms Medicine “Contr aband’’ Boone. Spain. — ‘The ; Spanish Rebel newspaper Unidad of San Sebastian admitted in a recent issue that the fascists had bombed Barcelona Harbor Six times in an attempt to sink the American relief ship Erica Reed which had arrived in Bar celona with 5000 tons of food and a special pift of nicotinic acid, newly discovered cure for pel- lagra. AS reported by the tTmited ress in a despatch from Ften-= daye, Unidad said: “The United States ship Erica Reed, filled with contraband, reached Barce- Jona November 23. Therefore it was logical to bomb the harbor ZOme Six times.” It would appear from this re- port that food and medicine are constdered “contraband” by Franco. This lends support to re— ports that Franco’s chief use of belligerent rights, if pranted, would be to blockade Loyalist Spain’s food supply and starvé its population. Bighteen merchant ships were halted and seized in the Mediter- ranean during the past two weeks by armed Rebel trawlers, the Gibraltar correspondent of the New York Times reported. Twelve of the ships were taken to the Rebel port of Ceuta while the remaining Six—flying the French flas— were permitted to £0 free when the Prench de- stroyer Basque put in a timely appearance in each case. Even without belligerent rights, Franco's attacks on neu- tral shipping were noted to be on the increase. The Committee of British Ship- Owners Trading to Spain has re— ported that the Rebels, since the first of the year, have attacked 125 British vessels, damaged 75, sunk i4 and killed 40 and wound-— ed 68 officers and men. > MAC-PAPS BEGIN NEW DRIVE FOR EMERGENCY FUND $10,600 Quota For Canada; BC Pledges To Raise $2,000 Campaign to raise $10,000 to rehabilitate Canadians who have given health and limb in the fight against fascist inva- Sion in Spain was announced this week in a press release from the Toronto office of the Briends of the Mackenzie- Papineau Battalion. Many of the 300 men due to ar rive in a few days are still suffer-— ing from wounds and will require immediate medical assistance, Some will require delicate opera- tions, and ali will have to be pro- wided with railway fares to their momes, some of whom live in YVan- couver and other BC points. The National Committee is al- ready embarked on an intensive campaign of publicity. Issuance Of 20,000 illustrated folders contain- ing photos and stories of wounded Spanish war veterans, large post ers, illustrated honor certificates and other material have been dis- tributed nationwide. Various Friends committees throughout, the country have set quotas, the Vancouver committee heving pledged itself to raise $2000 @s its share of the $10,000 needed immediately. The Rehabilitation Fund is spon- sored by 2 galaxy of notables throughout Canada The list in- eludes famous writers, parliamen- tarians, members of city councils and legislatures, trade union tead- ers and clergymen. Prominent among these are John W. Buckley, Toronto Trades Coun- cil secretary, Fred White, Alberta Federation of Labor president, Rob- ert McCutcheon, Winnipes Trades Gouncil secretary, and Rey. Father R. HB. Thomas, who heads the Na- tional Committee. : The following statement was is— sued by Rev. Thomas on the occa- sion of launching the emergency drive: “T consider it not only a privilege but my “‘bounden duty and service’ to itheartily endorse the campaign sponsored by the Frends of the MackenziePapinesau BattahHon to raise the much needed funds to meet the obligations que to the man shortly expected from Spain. “The outcome of the struggle in Spain is more directly concerned with the future Canadian scene than the political consciousness of the average Canadian is sufficiently sensitive to. Nevertheless, for those who are enlightened this is as clear as day. The men of the Mackenzie- Papineau Battalion possessed this prophetic insight and for this rea- son volunteered for service in a sauise which in the last essence is he essence of Canadian freedom.” THE PEOPLE’S ADVOCATI VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1938 France Takes Hitler’s ‘Word’ Union farns OF Plan To Provoke Blubber Bay ‘Riot’ workers of America received Threat of further provocation against the Pacific Lime Company Strikers was substantiated on Mon- day when an TWA member report @€d overhearing part of a conversa- tion between PP. B. Jones, plant manager, and Sergeant Sutherland at the Vancouver Court House, during which Jones had told the provincial police sergeant the Blubber Bay affair “had to be cleaned up.’ Later in the conversaition Jones is reported to have been informed that Constable Campbell, who was ordered withdrawn from the strike scene during the summer as a re- sult of his baiting of strikers, had that France hand over Tunisia. Joachim yon Ribbentrop, left, German foreign min ister, affixine signatures to “no more war” and George Bonnet, French foreign minister, agreement even while the Nazis were backing Italy in the demand City Council Shelves Plan To Reconstruct Outmoded Bridges Im one of the last meetings of the current year, Vancouver city council members meeting in board of works Monday toyed somewhat reluctantly with the important question of the Granville and Cambie street bridges, then passed the question over to the 1939 council. Aldermen were apparently none too ready to commit themselves on what to do about the two aging spans. Before them was a report from City Engineer Br protective rails or cables on the two bridges as we volve an estimated expenditure of $50,000 and de majority of the members expressed objection. A stir was created when Ald. Kirk sarc provide all drivers with automatic brains.” The matter was shelved finally as an alternative to a motion enridge to prepare plans and speci- fications for a guard rail on the via- duct and to call for tenders for in- stalling it. “TIT am not going to brook any more delay,’ wailed DeGraves fu- tilely. “I, at least, am aroused to my responsibilities.’ Other board members declared, however, the city had no money at present for such a purpose and Telford, Queen Talk Municipal Ownership Tentative plans by Mayor-elect Dr. Telford to impose some neasure of control over the monopoly exercised by the BC Hectric were given hearty endorsation this week by Mayor ohn Queen, MLA, of Winnipes. Mayor Queen met in friendly enference Tuesday with Vancou- ers new mayor, along with press epresentatives, and outlined brief 7 measures taken by citizens of Vinnipes to set up their own aunicipalcontrolied power and Sht company and drastically re- uce rates. ; He revealed that back in 1908 Jinnipes people were paying as ach as 20 cents per Kilowatt hour x «electricity. Now both the pri- ately owned and municipally—con- olled companies charge only .827 mts per kilowait. “Winnipes has the lowest domes- ¢ mate for light and power on the lire continent,” Mayor Queen ated. “We have more electric ok stoves per capita than any ty in the world.”’ Those present at the meeting Bre quick to compare VWV/innipes’s w rate with the exorbitant scale t for Vancouver by the monopoly-— controlled BCElectric. On the question of Dr. Telford’s | plan for municipal control in Van- couver, Mayor Queen advised Van- couver not to bother trying to buy out the BC Flectric but to go ahead as Winnipe= had done—establish its own power facilities and enter into competition. Such a step, in his estimation, would soon force the present com- pany to reduce rates. Dhe two municipal leaders, both representing the Jabor and pro- gressive movement of their respec— tive cities, discussed also the prob- lem of slum clearance and housing, an urgent question facing both Vancouver and VWinnipeg._ Mayor Queen outlined briefly his plan to build cheap Jlow-rental apartment blocks from federal housing plan money, a scheme which could be followed up to ad- vantage in the Coast metropolis. >doubted whether the cost would be justified on bridges which had out- lived their usefulness. They were also undoubtedly reflecting on the fact that neither of the two ancient and badly constructed spans were paid for after 25 years. Position of the aldermen was also supported by those in the know at City Hall, it being unoficially Stated that it would be more econo- mical to build new bridges. A second project being mooted was also shelved for the 1939 coun- cil—that of developing First Ave- mue between Nanaimo street and Boundary Road at an approximate cost of $21,000. In his report on the proposal, Brakenridge pointed out that the development should provide for a road way which would carry double lines of traffic on each side and well clear of the BC Electric right- of-wav. Board members suggested thai the BCER operate its interurban line only from the Burnaby area to Boundary road, with a bus ser- vice to carry passengers from there to the downtown area. This was hastily referred to the utilities committee, since it would appar- ently meet with much objection from citizens living in the area. School Improvements To Begin Soon Approval was given by city coun- ceil, provincial and federal authori- ties to borrow $390,000 from the Ot- tawa government for school con- struction purposes, T. Brooks, Van- couver school board committee member told a board meetings. This sum, available at two per cent interest, will be used to start work on schools and their improve- ment. ackenridge outlining a proposal to place ll as Georgia viaduct. The plan would in- spite the futile insistence of Ald. DeGraves, astically observed “the best thing to do would be to by DeGraves instructing Brack- ‘Frisco Demands Embargo Pickets Prevent Loadins of Scrap irom to Japan SAN FRANCISCO. Cal., Dec. 22.—Picket lines thrown around two docks to prevent. loading of crap iron to Japan and unload- ing of cement from WNazi Ger many were withdrawn yesterday for the purpose of Placing all forces behind a national drive seeking to impose an embarzo of shipment of war materials to all aggressor nations. Before Chinese and White pickets withdrew, however, they had focussed national attention on the attempt to stop the load- ing of the Greek ship Spyros with scrap metal and ereatly Strengthened the movement for an embargo. Pickets were given complete support by members of the International Longsshoremen and Warehousemen’s Union. who refused to go through picket lines. Both pickets and umionists des- patched telesrams to President Roosevelt protesting threats made by the shipping employers and urging the federal zsovernment to Clamp an embargo on war cargoes for Japan. A large number of children svere present on the picket lines, been given orders to proceed to Blubber Bay with a new detach- ment of provincial police. With receipt of the information, union officials immediately noti- fied Attorney-General Wismer, pro- testing at the same time against stationing Constable Campbell at the strike scene. Fred Gundstrim, BC Coast Dis- trict Couneil secretary, believes that Jones’ discussion with Ser- geant Sutherland foreshadows a new “showdown” by police against picket lines at the Texada Island town. “Dhe Pacific Lime Company was apparently confident that convic- tion and sentencing of 12 strikers te Oakalla would break the union resistace,” Lundstrum stated. ‘Now Possibility of new police attacks on Blubber Bay picket lines. loomed this weel as officials of the International Wood-_ information of police reinforce- ments ordered to proceed to the scene of the strike. that trials are over, however, and with picket lines still intact, they can see the strike is by no means over and are ready to fall back on the favorite weapon of open ter roerism.’’ The TPWA: leader was outspokenly critical of the influence exerted by the Pacific Lime Company with the government and the provincial police. “Evidence given during the re- cent trials showed the police acted completely under orders of com- pany offcials,” he said. “The plant manager, P. B. Jones, was present on the night of September 17 when police attacked strikers, and ap- peared to be one of the guiding forces, along with scabs, in direct= ing the attack. It’s quite evident the company, backed by the Ship- ping Federation, the BC Loggers’ Association and the Industrial Council, has been pulling plenty of wires in the offices of govern- ment officials.’ As a means of blocking the new threat against pickets, TEumdstrum referred to the fact the TWA was fSoing to funther strengthen strike lines, both at Blubber Bay and in Vancouver, and expected to receive more assistance from the intermma-— tional office in forcing the company to, reopen negotiations. In addition, a renewed drive for funds will be initiated by wunion lecals on the Coast. - Lorenti Beria New Soviet Police Head cause of declining health and to the rapidly he heads as commissar. Succeeding the released commis- Sar-is Lorenti Beria who has had a Jong experience as assistant com_ missar to Yezhov and was party Secretary of long Standing in the Transcaucasian Republic. The commissariat of home affairs under Yezhoy’s guidance since 1936 was able to bring to trial such wreckers and agents of German fascism as Kameneff Zinoviey and others who confessed their connec- tions with Trotsky and ithe Ger man secret police. in later trials which brought Ya- goda, a former Czarist police chief, and his accomplices before Soviet Courts, it was brought out that at- tempts were made jto poison the Stalwart of Soviet justice, but due to the man’s alertness and vVigi- lance these efforts failed. Wezhoy will now have aproxi- mately 36,000 miles of water trans- port, stretching over ithe vast area of over eight million Square miles, under this administration which will require all his time. MOSCOW, USSR, Dec. 22. missar of home affairs, was released from his post recently be- —WNikolai Yezhov, people’s com- in order to sive more’ attention expanding water transport, which department LORENTI BERIA To Abandon Revolt Forces Franco Offensive plete collapse of General Franco’s long heralded offensive. : The Spanish republicans had good reason for rejoicing, for ac- companying the news of the inde- finite postponement of the fascist offensive came the reason a wade- spread revolt among the fascist of ficers and troops accompanied by indisputable proof that 2000 insur gent officers and civilians had been condemned to death with discovery of an anti-Franco plot. Main center of the revolt wes re- ported to be among the officers and men of the iith Field Artillery at Burgos—heart of the rebel “SOv- ernment.” AS a result, Burgos is in a state of siege, imposed by police and civil guards brought in from Cor- ogsna All streets are barricaded, hotels and restaurants have been closed, and arrests total well over the thousand mark. Other disturb- ances against Franco broke out simultaneously in Seville, Saragoza, Segovia and Orense. : Government officials in Barcelona expressed the opinion that the re- volt was most likely much wider than appeared from press reports. They pointed to information re- ceived by -the government intelli- gence over several weeks showing widespread dissatisfaction amone those few remaining Spaniards who still supported Franco. and referred d BARCELONA, Spain.—Loyalist troops in the field and civi- lians in city and countryside were able to relax their vigilance to some extent this week and tur the Christmas festivities as reports reached here of the com- n to preparations for celebrating 8000 men from fascist Spain into France en route to Barcelona. it was also pointed out here that Firaneco’s loss was a double one, since he had hoped, by achieving some success in His new drive, to be able to convince Chamberlain to grant him belligerent rights on the claim that the war “would soon be over.’ Council Executive Te Discuss Embargo Embargo Council delegates Mrs. J. Gray and Mrs. R. & Weldon re- esived a rousing welcome from delegates at the Trades Council Tuesday night when they were al- lowed ten minutes to address the meeting and appeal for Support in their boycott parade on Wednes— day. Mrs. Weldon set the delegates laughing when she appealed for the two best men the council had, naming Secretary P. R. Bengough and President Jamieson, the latter she hoped to draw for a partner. Jamieson explained the Secretary was in Washington on business of the council qnd the trade union movement, while he himself was egeged in litigation in the coumts to the recent mass emigration of Over picketing.