THE PEOPLE'S

ADVOCATE,’

April 7, 1939.

THE
PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE

Published Weekly by the Proletarian Publishing
Association, Room 10, 163 West Hastings Street,
Vancouver, BC. Phone TRinity 2019.

Three Months -
Single’ Copy —————— $ .05

Make Ail Gheques Payable to: The People’s Advocate

Vancouver, B.C. Friday, April 7, 1939

Greetings, Youth Congress!

A&® A representative voice of a big section
of labor and progressive people who
know that the problems of Canadian youth
are a vital part of the whole fight for trade
union organization and extension of democ-
racy, we extend a hearty welcome to dele-
gates attending the First Provincial Youth
Congress in Vancouver this week-end.

It’s been generally recognized for years that
Canadian youth’s stake in the future is condi-
tional upon providing a solution for all those
different problems facing them — jobs, peace,
greater democracy.

The representatives of Big Business realize
this fact as well. One of their chief “front
men” at the moment, Mr. George McCullash,
has suddenly become very concerned over
the plight of youth and is making a strong
bid for their support, though his “solution”—
doing away with relief and inauguration of
semimilitary training camps — is typical of
reaction’s plans for disposing of the problem
without solving it.

The BG Youth Congress is clear evidence
that the young men and women are not pre-
pared to accept a Big Business “Solution” of
their problem. They are going to work out
a program for jobs, for improved educational
facilities, for a realistic Canadian foreign
policy that will break with Chamberlain’s
“appeasement” of the aggressors and guaran-
tee peace.

They are not going to put this program
into effect alone. It can only be done with
the assistance of the people of Canada, and
in particular, with the aid of organized
labor.

That's why the presence of delegates from
the Trades and Labor Council at the Con-
gress sessions is so encouraging. That's why
both the youth movement and organized la-
bor must develop an even greater apprecia-
tion of each other’s problems if those prob-
lems are to be solved.

Canadian Foreign Policy And
Premier King’s Speech

HOSE who studied Premier Mackenzie

King’s speech in the Ottawa House on
foreign affairs saw much to applaud but much
to regret.

Some of the opinions he expressed are un-
doubtedly shared by a majority of Canadians,
and indicate that the government is aware of
public opinion and can be influenced by it.

He emphasized, for example, that the pres-
ent international crisis is due to fascist ag-
gression and failure to develop collective se-
eurity measures; that consideration should be
given to the possibilities of Canada taking a
seat in the Pan-American Conference; that
Canada is not prepared to accept the policies
of Downing Street under all circumstances.

This much is all to the good. But unfortun-
ately, Premier King did not draw a lesson and
a policy from the points outlined.

Following his remarks to their logical con-
clusion, he should have made a decisive break
with Chamberlain’s Munich policy, sharply
condemned the seizure of Czechoslovakia and
Memel, taken action similar to Roosevelt's
economic measures against the Nazis, told the
world that Canada will take her place in a
democratic bloc against further aggression.

That he failed to state these necessary
propositions is to be regretted, and shows the
need for greater pressure from the people to
demand a more positive foreign policy.

To those who would capitulate before the
difficulties and declare that Ottawa is im-
pervious to pressure of opinion, we might
point out again to the actual admissions made
by the Premier in his speech. It was a dif
ferent line than the one followed by the gov-
ernment even after Munich. And it can be
changed even more in the direction demand-
ed by the situation to the extent that the Ca-
nadian people demand it.

For nothing is surer than this—words won't
stop Hitler now. He has to be shown that he'll
break his neck against a democratic bloe be-
fore he’ll pull in his horns. Unless he’s shown,
Canada and the world will be drawn in to a
new world war.

T#’s apparent that the policy of “appease-
ment” must be thrown out! Peace can only
be saved by immediate action!

We now learn that much of Italy’s war
equipmnet is antiquated and of 1914-18 vint-
age and is at present being replaced by mod-
ern equipment taken from Czech arsenals by
the Nazis.

Thus at the same time we see how bom-
bastic Mussolini’s threats against first-class
powers have been in the past, and how Da-
ladier’s acquiescence in the destruction of
Czechoslovakia is serving to rearm France’s
fascist enemy.

Canada Nears Great Decisions

oS ee es ee

T ‘HF relatively “peaceful” condition of Canada up to now
promises to sive way to some big developments in the not

too far distant future.

Deep-lying forces are at work in the country which will,
without a doubt, cause great changes in the present setup.

The major decision, which will determine in large part all
others, is whether or not the imperfect democracy which now
prevails will change for the better, i.e., in the direction of great
economic and political democracy for the masses, or whether
it will be replaced by an arbitrary, reactionary concentration
which will raise the curtain for naked fascism.

The bitter facts of economic in-
equality, mational disunity, the
special low status of Quebec, the
decline of western agriculture,
persistent unemployment, low
purchasing power among the
masses, and the sitdown strike of
the biggest capitalists who_refuse
to expand industry because they
are opposed to raising the na-—
tional standard of living—all this
is the internal basis of the big
decision which Canada is called
upon to face.

So

WN DEE outside world, also,

Canada’s fate is being deter-
mined. The advance of fascism
threatens Canadian security and
Canadian democracy-

It would be hard to find any
thinking Canadian who would not
agree with these statements. Mil-
lions of people who up to now
have been politically passive, and
who went about their daily chores
not overly perturbed by the
things above and outside them,
are filled wtih anxiety, and not
infrequently, with confusion.

Such a growing crisis in poli-
tical, economic and foreign ai
fairs is the meat and drink of the
reactionaries. Their old two-party
system is no longer capable of
dealing with the big new decisions
which must be made. Democratic
institutions, which have seryed
up to now to permit the continued
existence of the dictatorship of
big capital, now promise to be
come a means of achieving the
reform by the people of some of
the biggest capitalist abuses—
such as the low national income,
for example.

This is the reason for the ap-
pearance of avowedly fascist
groups (undoubtedly, if the truth
were known, financed by big
capitalists) and for the more re-
cent rise of the MUeadership
League in Ontario, the People’s
League two years ago in Alberta,
and things of a similar nature.

Wy eoee we can expect is a drive
against the gathering forces
of democracy, and against their
most advanced representatives,
the Communist Party—precisely
for the reason that big capital is
faced with the need for maintain-
ing the status quo and for head-
ing off any mass movement of
the people with a program of
more economic and political de-
mocracy.

On the other hand, Canadian
people’s movements are tenacious.
The labor and farm movements,
best organized among the masses
of the people, have made certain
advances in the past period. Their
weaknesses are largely those of
immaturity, and mainly that
failure as yet to understand fully
the need for cooperation between
their various wings on a program
acceptable to all.

Yet, there is no evading this big
decision of fascism or democracy.
It has to be taken. The issues
have to be faced, the difficulties

have to be met and ironed out.
If the decision is not faced in
good time by the labor and farm
movements, then we face very
real possibilities that the Leader—
ship League will thrive; that to
Quebec’s padlock law will be add-
ed more fascist-like legislation;
that the present government of
the Liberal Party will be under-—
mined and broken through a2
combination of its own weakness
and the immaturity of the mass
movement, and replaced with a
reactionary “national” govern-—
ment; that the western provinces

LESLIE MORRIS

and the Maritimes will drift away
from the people of the east and
become the prey of demagogues.

HAT is needed, therefore, to

approach these big decisions
with much more confidence and
ability, is to exploit every possible
Chance to arouse the Canadian
people to the danger that threat—
ens them from the reactionaries
at home and the fascists abroad:

First of all, the labor movement
must become a more energetic
teacher and guide of the masses
of the people. We need a great
revival of labor agitation and
propaganda among the people—
more public meetings, more dem-
onstrative acts, more education,
more study circles and reading
esroups, a greater sale of litera-
ture, the training of hundreds of
fresh speakers, the development
of many more theatrical groups
who will artistically explain to
the people the issues in the coun-
try, the building of a stronger
press, and so on and so on.

This applies to all sections of
the labor movement, to the trade
unions, to the working-class poli-
tical parties, to the cultural as-
sociations among immigrant
eroups, to the youth and to the
women’s movement.

ANADIAN democracy will

stand or fall as the labor
movement is weak or strong. And
the fact remains that in the hun-
dreds of smail towns and cities
—aye, and even in the large cities
like Toronto and Montreal, thou-
sands of working people still have
to be reached to be conyinced of
their duties as workers, whether
it be to join a union, or to read
the labor press, or simply to look
with suspicion on the antics of
a George MeCullagch.

The most active element in ac-
complishing these big things is
the Communist Party. But the ef
forts of the Communist alone are
mot sufficient. He alone cannot
do the job of defeating fascism
and reaction. He is insistent on
this. He recognizes that coopera-
tion with the CCE and other
groups is a prerequisite for any
successful mass activity against
the Canadian reactionaries.

An all-sided and most effective
campaign of organization and en-
lightenment, then, is needed in
the labor movement.

ABOR should now discuss and

prepare for the next federal
election, which is likely to take
place this year.

Iabor has done great things so
far to expose the truth behind the
pretty speeches of George Mc-
Gullagh, but it must do more.

labor must become an untiring
organizer, to win away from re—
actionary influences the many
thousands, aye, millions, who
sense the coming crisis but who
are not clear on what the issue
is or what is to be done.

This applies not to any single
labor group, but to them all.

When one speaks of Canada,
one speaks not only of the mil-
lion and more industrial workers,
employed and unemployed.

Q@ne speaks of a country with
over 40 percent of its people on
the farms and in the small towns.

The great gap between labor
and the farmers must begin to
elose, Mitchell Hepburn and his
ilk depend on the “back conces-
sions” where political experience
and awareness are less developed
than among the factory workers.

Another great task, this, which
has only begun to be tackled, and
that mainly in Western Canada.

HE next 12 months may see

great changes, totally aside
from the crisis in Furope and its
possible effects on Canadian in-
ternal life.

The myriad problems before Ca-
mada, all of them the result of
the ruthless capitalist exploita-
tion of this country, will take a
long time to settle.

But until Canadian democracy
is more firmly rooted, until the
reactionaries are taught the les-
son that they cannot impose
their cliquish will on the major-—
ity of the people these problems
will not be solved.

The labor movement must un-
ceasingly strive for a national
living wage. Our parliamentary
institutions, federal, provincial
and local, must be protected from
the McCullaghs. The fascists
enawing at our vitals must be
exposed and suppressed.

Wational health insurance, un-
employment and social insurance,
guaranteed prices to the farmers,
just and equitable taxation, a na-
tional maximum working day-
these are the thmes for which
Labor must fight now and around
which it must appeal to those
millions of Canadians who want
democracy and the right to live
decent lives. This is the one guar—
antee that the great decisions we
face will be decided for the people.

Comments From Our Readers

AN INDIAN’S APPEAL
Editor, People’s Advocate:

It will be greatly appreciated
if you publish the following in
your progressive paper.

After much discussion among
ourselves the native youth of
Lillooet district have decided to
appeal to the people of BC and
Canada and ask their help to re-
lieve our sufferings from hunger.

We have appealed to our In-
dian agent but he only laughs at
us, and have written to Indian
Commissioner McKay at Vancou-
ver without receiving a reply.

We have appealed without suc-
cess to our leading chiefs to take
this matter up, but it is either
through jntimidation, or they
have ‘given up hope of getting
any help, or they don’t know what
to do.

We are denounced as a lazy
bunch of parasites, but we are
willing to work if we could get it,
and we would welcome an inves-
tigation. EF. SAUL.

Lillooet, B.C.

A STREETCAR CONDUCTOR
REPLIES
Editor, People’s Advocate:

In answer to Mr. J. W. David-
son’s letter in your paper on
March 24 entitled “BC Electric
Service” I would like to give the
views of a conductor.

I believe I can speak with some
authority on the conditons gov-
erning the sometimes criticized
streetcar crews, particularly in
eonnection with the unfortunate
and no doubt maddening episode
of would-be passengers being left
as they run for a streetcar.

I can assure Mr. Davidson that
it is circumstances rather than
lack of attention on the part of
the conductor that causes these
unfortunate affairs.

The “running time,” that is, the
time we are allowed to travel
from one end of the line to the
other, is cut down to such an ex
tent that it is imperative that we
waste the least possible time at
ear stops; even a second’s delay
is sometimes enough to make us
late.

Tt is quite true, Mr. Davidson,
that under the present running
schedules practically the whole
of the crew's attention is given
to passing the intersection before
the traffic light changes. This is

a very regrettable state of af
fairs, as it mot only incon-
veniences the travelling public,

but puts a great deal of strain on
the men running the cars.

The employees of the BCER
through the medium of our union
Division 101 of the Street Raii-
waymen, are continuously striv-
ing for the betterment of your
streetcar service and to this end
the wholehearted support of the
Vancouver citizens is appreciated.

CONDUCTOR.

A LETTER TO PREMIER
KING
Editor, People’s Advocate:

The following is a copy of a
letter forwarded to Prime Min-
ister Mackenzie King in protest
against Canada following alongs

with Chamberlain’s betraying
policy:
Dear Sir Recent European

events have greatly aroused my
indignation, this in the main be-

cause the Canadian government
is tagging along with the Cham-
berlain Tory government, which
is playing the leading role im
rapidly placing the whole of
Europe under the axe of fascism
and under the domineering mad
dog Adolf Hitler.

Weville Chamberlain, Premier
of Great Britain, ever since tak-—
ing office has followed a policy
which is intended to strengthen
the fascist powers and to assist
ageressor nations, and in doing
so aims at the destruction of de—
mocracy. Chamberlain, together
with his little boy Daladier, suc-
eeeded in preparing the destruc-
tion of the last remaining demo-
eratic state in Central Europe—
Czechoslovakia—last September,
which has since fallen under the
barbaric rule of Hitler, against
the wishes of the Czech and S!c-
vak peoples.

When any government plays
into the hands of such aggressors,
then that government is guilty of
betraying its Own country, and
this is precisely what the Cham-
berlain government has done and
is still doing, and when the Cana-
dian government either approves
or stands idly by, then it also is
suilty of betrayal to the Cana-
dian people.

Tf the Canadian government had
a foreign policy that was in line
with Canada and its people,
which would be against the ag-
gressor nations, then we would
have something to fight for.

I demand that the Canadian
government break from the
Ghamberlain policy and declare in
favor of a realistic foreign policy-

Oo. BH. BRUNING.

.Bolshevik plans.”

SHORT JABS

A
Weekly

Commentary

By Ol’ Biil

A Sitdown and stay-in strikes have
el

A other made front-page reading in the
Sitdown. world’s press on Many occasions

Since the Madrid street reailwaymen went on strike,
continuing to run the streetcars but refusing to col-
lect any fares, about six years ago. All Kinds of
maneuvers have been perfected in this form of
strike but until lately only the workers adopted
them as a means to fain their demands—higher
wages, shorter hours and better working conditions.
But now the “elite” are taking lessons from their
betters, notwithstanding the contempt in which
they hold the workers’ intelligence. A great deal of
dissatisfaction is being engendered among the snobs
who “run” England, by some of the proposed meas—
ures to protect the city-dwelling people of that
country when MHitler’s bombers put into use the
death-dealing tricks they learned in Spain.

Some A movement has started in the
west of England to prevent putting
Name. into effect the plans for the evacu-

ation of children from cities like London, into
the country during wartime. The leader of this
“country gentleman” protest strike Is a humdinger,
judging by his moniker—Captain Lane Fox Pitt
Rivers. Could pomposity be better expressed in
words? He is the big noise in the “no billeting of
refugees in Dorset’ crusade.

It is an utterly ridiculous scheme, according to
this many-named paragon, to separate children
from their parents by evacuating them from the
cities. “It has long,” he says, “been part of the

This is rich; linking up Chamberlain, Simon,
Hoare and other members of the British Netional
government with the Bolsheviks — but what could
you expect from the type of bird who sports such 2
thoroughly “old school tie’ handle! So iong as he
and the little Georze Henry Lane Fox Rivers’ are
enjoyine the comparative safety of the country and
the other George Henry Lane Hox Hitt Riverses are
in the same happy situation, to hell with the chil-
dren of the East End of London!

= Another word has been added to
Making French history. An incident, an
History. epoch, gets its name from the

French people, and one or two words from then on
are sufficient — Sicilian VYespers, St. Bartholomew,
the Gommune, Devil's Isle—each tells its story.

Today a new mame is added to those of the past,
Perpignan. But Perpignan is the general name.
It is broken up into little particular Perpignans;
Argeles is one, St. Cyprian is another. Both are
parts of Perpignan and they are the names that will
tell the story to the future readers of Hrench his—
tory, the history that is being made by the Daladiers
and Bonnets as it was made in 1871 by the Thiers
and Cavapmacs.

For there are the concentration camps where the
men of the International Brigades who evaded the
assassins of Franco are imprisoned and herded by
Senegalese suards in Daladier’s Belle Frence. We
are justified in believing that these hell holes were
organized by the same engineering senius which
made fame for the dry guillotine of Cayenne, Devil's
Isle, where French criminals were sent to a living
death.

Forty thousand brave Spanish soldiers and their
comrades in arms of the International Brigade are
now being tortured in the Devyil’s Isle cf the Pyre—
nees Orintales. The Spaniards, who haye been
fighting for Frauce as well as Spain, may be sent
back to Daladier’s ally and friend, Franco, to be
treated as criminals, and in many cases certain
death. The Internationals are waiting Passage to
the only country oujside of the Soviet Union that
will give them sanctuary, Mexico. This may mean
three months more of imprisonment. ;

A few days ago a letter came to
Our Own Vancouver addressed to Mr. Jo-
Refugees. seph EKelly, Union Hall, Vancouver.
Joe got it witheut any delay. It was written on
a piece of wrapping paper, four inches by five.
Tt had no postage stamp on it and the postage had
to be collected at this end. It was not much, but
it told the whole story that Perpignan will mean to
French history in the future.

In Spain, thanks to the blockade set up by the
fascists and most of the democratic powers under
CGhamberlain’s leadership, there was little to be
bought. No tobacco or other things that ease the
burdens of a strenuous life. In Argeles and St
Cyprian there are tons of these ¢hings, but it takes
money to buy them — and the boys have no money,
even to buy writing paper or stamps.

The writer of Joe’s letter is a Greek comrade who
had been fighting in the ranks of tne International
Brigade for two years. He tells as much as a man
can in the space, by printing in small letters, of the
hell through which the boys are passing. Naturally
there is not much detail in a volume of that size,
but he promises to fill in the details later on if he
ean get the price of some stationery.

There are refugee relief stations all over +he
world. How about us starting one here and sending
a few dollars through this comrade to buy cigarettes
and writing paper. A franc, which is only worth
about five cents, will go a long way. Already a
Greek friend of the Spanish people has raised nine
dollars and sent it on its way. Another ten or even
twenty wouldn’t hurt. And though it only goes to
one member of the brigade, many will all Share in
it. If you would like to get in on this, send your two-
bits to myself or Joe Kelly and in about ten days it
will be buying tobacco.

= } We hasten to add our condolences
Obituary! 71 ine death of Ald Fred’ Grose:
The local press tells us he was a useful citizen.
We remember his usefulness being played up by
the Shipping Federation during the longshoremen’s
strike in 1935. Crone sent his furniture vans to
park alongside the police station all day for several
days so they would be ready to transport yellow-
legged mounties to shoot down the waterfront work
ers at the Shipping Federation’s bidding.

We died, like a good, typical capitalist exploiter
of labor, at his worlk—on the second green of the
Shaughnessy Golf Gourse.

Keeping Many who heard Jascha Heifetz
Culture when he was in Vancouver lately,

= working miracles With his violin,
Alive. making people forget the miseries
of life under capitalism, wakening in them dreams
that were dissipated as the vibrations of the strings
ceased, wondered what chances there are to pro-
duce other artists like Heifetz with the world in the
shape it is, the capitalist world, I mean.

There are, however, some people who intend to
try. I have just learned of the People’s Music
Committee, which is ¢rying to salvage something
from the wreck of the unemployment and low wages
and give workingclass children an opportunity for a
musical education. A group of parents are Sponsor
ing this work and will try to provide children with
instruments as wel] as tuition in the yiolin, ’cello
and viola. :

Their headquarters are at 505 Hast Georgia street.

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