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April 28, 1939

THE PEOPLE’S

ADVOCATE

Page Five é

Canada Needs One Too!

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OPPRESSIVE Vy J

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Science Feature

‘The Live

BY PROF. J. B.

Fossil

Ss. HALDANE

FEW weeks ago a most peculiar fish was caught off Dur-

ban in South Africa.

It looked no odder than many other

deep sea fish, though any observant person would have noticed

that it had a small extra tail sticking out of the middle of its

ordinary tail, and that its paired fins, instead of consisting of
a fan of spines, were placed at the end of a kind of stumpy

limb. :

You can see rather similar fins in the lung-—fish at the zoo

in London.

Its peculiarity was of another sort.

Tt belonged

to an order of fish called the “‘crossopterysii,° which were com-

mon enough in the swamps where
the coal seams were formed, but
of which no fossils had been found
in strata later than the chalk.

In fact they were supposed to be
as extinct as the great reptiles
which once lived in most parts of
the world.

e S

S particular group of fish is
much closer than any other
group to those which are believed
to have come out of the water dur-
ing the Devonian, or Old Red
Sandstone period, and to have
been the ancestors of four—-footed

land animals, birds and men.

Their bones were known al-

ready, but a study of their soft
parts, and particularly their
heart, brain, and swim-biadder,

will be of great interest to stu-
dents of evolution.

And this particular discovery

will be welcome for another rea-
son. The ancestry of some ani-
mals, for example the horse, is

very well known from a study of
fossil skeletons.

But there are some serious gaps
in other lines. For example, there
is little doubt that birds were de
scended from reptiles. And 2
few primitive birds have been
found, with lone bony tails, claws
On their wings, and numbers of
teeth. But they already had fea-
thers, and nothing is known of
how they originated from reptiles.

e

ARWIN and his followers al-
ways stressed the imperfec-
ion of the geoligical record. That
is to say they said that only a
very few of the millions of ani-
mal species that have lived in
the past have left a record which

has so far been discovered.

Their opponents tried to make
eut that this was not so, and
that there were therefore gaps in
evolution which could only be
expiained by new creations, for
example of birds.

Here is a case of an animal
whose ancestors must have lived
in the sea for about fifty million
years since the chalk age, but
none of their bones have yet been
feund. So in its case there was
a fifty million year gap in the
record.

Another reason for rejoicing
among palaeontologists is this.
The bones and scales of fossil
fish are generally found some-
what crushed, and a recostruc-
tion demands some imagination.

Besides which, on the basis of
evolutionary theories, palaeonto-
logists had said what their hearts
and other soft organs must have
been like.

e
OW here is a ‘wonderful
chance of checking these
theories by actual dissection. A
scientific theory is a mere string
ef words untess one can check
it in some such way as this.

So is a political theory. For ex—
ample: Marxist theory predicted
that Mr. Chamberlain would back
Hitler at Munich, while non-
Marxist theory predicted that he
would back Britain.

The London Daily Worker,
being the only Marxist daily
paper in the country, was the
enly one which forecast the re—
sult correctly in Britain.

Many people ask how it is that,
if the evolution theory is true,
a fish rerjains almost unchanged,
for so many millions of years.

@ne reason is this. Many of

the very primitive animals which
are alive today mature very
slowly. For example, the Aus-—
trian jlungfish is very close indeed
to some ancient fossils. But it
takes at least 20 years to ma-—
ture, and perhaps an average
generation is 50 years. So a fish
which breeds when a year old
has had 50 times as many gen-
erations to evolve.

e

HE newly discovered fish must
be a slow grower, for it is
about six feet long, and lives in
the middle depths of the sea,
where food is scarcer than at
the surface or on the bottom. in
just the same way trees are gen-
erally more primitive than small
plants, because they have not had

so Many generations to evolve.

The most highly evolved plant
erders, such as composites like
the daisy, grasses, and labiates
like the dead-nettle, are almost
all quite small; while most trees
have cones like the pine, or
fiowers of a simple type like
those in catkins.

There is a law of uneven de-
velopment in animal and plant
evolution as in the social evolu-
tion of capitalism, and plenty of
animals and plants have not
changed very much for an enor-
mous time.

There is no general law which
makes either animals or societies
improve in all cases. According
to Darwin, animais improve
through a struggle, and accord-

ing to Marx societies do so
through a different kind of
struggle.

@

Hoe it is unlikely that many

large land animals which

were thought to be extinct will be

found, there is one interesting
possibility.

The Chalicotheria were a very
edd group related to horses, ta-
pirs, and rhinoceroses. They had
a head rather like a horse, but
claws instead of hooves Their
fossils are Known up to the time
of the ice age, and they are gen-
erally thought to be extinct

But in the forests of northern
Kenya the natives report an ani-
mal about the size of a bear,
which answers fairly well to this
Geseription. INo European has
ever seen one close, but pieces of
skin belonging to no known liv-
ing species have been seen.

Ee
OWEVER, perhaps the most
jnteresting fossils are inver-
tebrates, quite smail animals
which survive in out of the way
corners.

Some of them are geographi-
cally isolated. like Anaspides, a
kind of lobster with joints all
the way down its back, instead of
having a carapace like a lfe-
guardsman. This is only found
in a few lakes in Tasmania.

But in case you think you must
go abroad for such creatures, it
is worth remembering that in
1866 Sir John Lubbock (the ori-
ginator of bank-holidays) discoy-
ered Pauropus in his own kitchen
garden. ft is a lively little white
beast one millimetre long with
seven pairs of legs and some-
thing like the ancestors of in-
sects.

So any keen naturalist may
make as big a discovery tomor-
row as the Durban fish.

Labor Demands
Absentee Ballot

OPY of the brief sub-

mitted this week by six
BC unions to the federal gov-
ernment urging restoration of
the absentee voting system to
cover 23,000 BC workers.
Forwarded through Attorney
John Stanton, the unions be-
hind the move were Interna-
ional Woodworkers of Am-
erica, Inland Boatmen’s
Union, International Union of
Mine, Mill and Smelter Work-
ers, Salmon Purse Seiners’
Union, United Fishermen’s
Union, and Pacific Coast
Fishermen’s Union.

e

if Breese law respecting Dominion
elections, as re-enacted by the
1938 session of Parliament, makes
no specific provision whereby the
broad generality of persons who
usually reside in one electoral dis-
trict but who, on polling day, are
working in another electoral dis-
trict, may exercise the franchise.

Such persons are commonly re-
ferred to as “absentee voters” and
it will be recalled that the Act in
force during the 1935 election
made elaborate provisions for
them to exercise their franchise.

Tt would appear that the said
provisions were so elaborate that
the present standing committee
on electoral matters felt that the
expense of the procedure was so
high as to be unjustifiable. —

With this contention Parliament
agreed, and the result is to be
found in the present Act.

)

LOSER analysis of the said
Act shows that three specific
classes of persons who may be
“absentee voters” are named; viz.,
clergymen, teachers and students
(See. 16, sub-sec. 6), and are
given the right to vote in the con-
stituency where they happen to
be occupied on polling day at

their respective callings.

Wo other class or group or oc-
eupation is specifically mentioned
in this connection in the Act, al-
though it is possible that by virtue
of sub-sec. 7 of Sec. 16 a certain
number of working men might be
allowed to vote in those constitu-
encies where their occupations
bring them on polling day. How-
ever, whether such right were in
fact granted would largely de—
pend upon a liberal interpretation
of sub-sec. 7, and not upon any

specific safeguard in the Act
itself.

@
T IS the submission of the

Unions concerned, who speak
both for their own members and
on behalf of many workers as yet
unorganized, that:

(1) to deny the right of fran-
echise to any eroup of citizens
which ordinarily would enjojy
that right, but who for reasons
beyond their control cannot
satisfy what is, in essence, a
technicality, iS an infamous and
dangerous principle; and

(2) specifically to admit to the
franchise certain named groups

(in this instance clerzymen,
teachers and students) while leay-
ing far larger groups and occupa-
tions unmentioned, is even more
deplorable a practice.

Some idea of the actual num-
ber of working men, in four of
the basic industries of British Co-
lumbia, who are in fact denied the
franchise under the present Act,
can be seen from the following
table. This table is an estimate
made by the officers of the unions
concerned, the said officers hay-
ing in each case made decalara-
tions as to the accuracy of their
respective estimates:

Fishermen and Cannery
Workers __ 3,000
Loggers 6,000
Miners (hardrock only) 5,000
Seamen (licensed and
unlicensed)

Total

PSs is Do question as to the
possibility of these men re-
turning to the place of their ord-
inary residence for voting pur-
poses. In many cases hundreds
of miles separate theSe workers
from their homes; and even if
they had the money to provide
transportation, employers would
hesitate before allowing a mass
exodus of their employees to ex-
ercise the vote.

The ‘only practical way, it is
therefore clear, in which these
23,000 men Can regain their right
to yote is through an amendment
to the present Act whereby they
will be granted identical rights
with those now enjoyed by clergy-
men, teachers and students.

The several unions which join
in compiling and endorsing this
brief therefore request the Stand-
ing Committee on Blectoral Mat-
ters, with the support of the
British Columbia members of par-
liament, to recommend to the
House ‘of Commons that the re
quisite amendment be forthwith
made.

@

HE unions also request the
committee to remember that
the right of franchise is today,
more than ever before, a very im-
portant matter if the customary
liberties of Canadians are to be
maintained. Restrictions on this
right should therefore be jealous—
ly guarded against, and the argu-
ment of expense must surely take
a secondary place when so im-

portant a right is at stake.

The unions are satisfied that,

: if the franchise has already been

guaranteed to absentee clergy-
men, ‘teachers and students, the
addition of the other necessary
classes and occupations would
mot entail any unreasonable ex-—
penditure of public monies; and
they are further satisfied that an
expeditious and practical method
of absentee voting can be devised
by those familiar with technical
electoral procedure.

All of which is respectfully sub-
mitted on behalf of the several
unions whose names appear at the
commencement of this brief.

Back row (left to right): Nels Madsen, Peter Hilton, Arthur Hoff

heinz, H. Marttilla, L. W. “Curly” Wilson, Willis “Timber” Nunne-

maker, and HFrank Woods.

Front row (left to right): J. Haughey,

H. “Healey” Haskell, Paul Dufour, George Hill, Frank Harris, and

UD. Haunsbout.

A Letter From France

By L. W. (CURLY) WILSON

LE HAVRE, FRANCE.

FEW words of greeting in the name of 32 Canadian ex-

prisoners of fascism. Yesterday (April 3) we crossed
from Franco Spain into France, dirty, ragged, verminous and
with a year’s hunger gnawing at our bellies.

We were met by a representative of the International Bri-

gades who had everything ar-
ranged. Hot baths and clean
clothes—what a luxury! Now we
are enjoying good food and
cigarettes, but most of all the
Sight of carefree, happy people—
people in whose faces there are
mo signs of hunger, fear and hope-
lessness, such as is mirrored in
the faces of those in fascist Spain.

Today we are living for the first
time in over a year. We are free,
but not free from the memory of
350 other comrades still left in
Franco’s concentration camps. In-
ternationals who fought in the
Republican Army—Germans, Aus-

trians, Poles, Italians, Czechs,
Hungarians, Slavs—many of whom
have lost their country, gobbled

up by fascism while they were
prisoners, men who face the death
penalty or life sentence should

they be returned to fascist coun-
tries. the others to die of starva-
tion and abuse in Franco’s hell
holes.

An organized demand should be
made for their unconditional re-
lease. Eyery means possible must
be used. Their lives and freedom
depend on the united protests of
every liberty-loving person.

We expect to leave here about
April 138 and are hoping to reach
Canada before May Day to take
part in the parade and general
celebrations. We are sending
along a photograph of the VYan-
couver men released with the
others.

Please give out best anti-fascist
greetings to all the boys who have
returned and to our friends. We
are still 100 percent in the fight.
Salud!

for granted.

alleviating these abuses.

view of the great response

paign.

May 1 and BC’s Seamen

By JAMES THOMPSON

Sec’y, Inland Boatmen’s Union
S| Fae May Day is of particular significance to the sea-

men of British Columbia.

Although the fight for the eight-hour day was initiated
53 years ago, in 1886, seamen on Canada’s Pacific Coast
are only now beginning to approach the point where they
can enjoy the working hours which other workers take

The Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific, after an
investigation, has found that BC seamen are the only ones
in the British Empire who are compelled to work 12 hours
a day for which they receive an average remuneration of
23 cents an hour. Im view of the gains made by workers in
other industries, these conditions are truly appalling and
demand the immediate attention of all progressive people.

The seamen’s life is one of hardship at the best of times.
Long hours, low pay, quarters not fit for human habita-
tion, all demand that government legislation be passed

The Inland Boatmen’s Union has already opened the
campagin with resolutions to members of parliament,
trade unions and other progressive organizations, and in

every indication that they will be successful.

In extending May Day greetings to all workers, the
Inland Boatmen’s Union appeals for wholehearted sup-
port and cooperation of everyone in this important cam=

already received, there is

Sport Memories

‘Lots o Daylight’

“BY MALCOLM BRUCE

4 OUR judgment may be alright, boy, but ah wanta tell
you, that cullud boy will have to knock the white boy
out or beat him to a pulp before he gets the decision.”

The time was 1926, the place, the inside entrance of Tau-
sig and Ryan’s gymnasium and training quarters in San

Francisco.

The speaker whose remarks I have quoted was John Les-
ter Johnson, great Negro heavyweight fighter, the man who

licked Jack Dempsey to a frazzle
in New York when the future
great champion first invaded the
Big Town.

Alone, IT had been watching the
colored aspirant to the middle—
weight championship, Gorilla
Jones, working out with sparring
partners in one of the two 16-foot
Tings in the famous training
quarters.

He looked good to me, worked
smoothly and had a terrific kick
in each mitt—but he didn’t use
either lethal weapon to the full
against the five-dollar-a-day spar-
ring roundheels.

Johnson’s remark was in reply
to my observation that Gorilla
Jones would have an easy time
disposing of his opponent in the

Dreamland Auditorium, which
opponent was, as far as [ can
“remember, Ace Hudkins, the

Nebraska Wildcat. =

@
DID not dispute Johnson’s

Statement, for T had seen many
instances of colored fighters —
whom so many sport scribblers
Said were “yellow” — fighting
against terrific odds, even with
secret “gats” pointed at their
lower ribs, and courageously win
out. Remember Sam Langford,
Joe Gans, Jack Johnson, Joe Wal-
ecott and many more.

Upon agreeing with the observa-
tion of John Lester Johnson, a
Slim colored fellow standing by
touched me on the arm and said,
“Friend, what John Lester said
is right. I’m a runner, a foot
racer. It’s hard for me to win 2
race—was even in school and high
school days. I found I had to put
clear daylight between me and the

white boy before they'd say I'd
won.”
(=)

HB casual conversation “with

these two colored athletes was
vividly brought to my mind each
time I heard of a quick victory
scored by Joe Louis, the greatest
fighter who ever answered the
bell—and that’s not belittling the
great masters, Sullivan, Corbett,
#itzsimmons, Jeffries, Johnson,
Langford and Dempsey.

Louis doesn’t trust white box-
ing Commissions or white referees.
He would like to give the cus-
tomers a show for their money,
but as champion, he is not taking
any chances, not so much from a2
chance punch, but from a preju-
diced referee’s decision.

Who can blame him? He’s the
best Man in the world today, the
Sharpest and most deadly puncher
the world has ever known—and
that dees not exclude the great
Jack Dempsey.

e

UTSTANDING athletes such
as Louis, Gorilla Jones, Henry
Armstrong, Jack Johnson, and,
among track and field men, such
stars as Jesse Owens, have shown
by their outstanding perform-
ances the nonsense of the “Aryan”

supremacy of the white race.

And the same is true in other
fields of human endeavor—Paul
Robeson and Marian Anderson,
for example.

Yes, whether it’s Joe Louis or
the great Henry Armstrong, the
“eullud boy’ must “put daylizht”
between him and the white boy
to get the decision of the white
referees, the arbiters of commer-
clalized sport today.

ALL

OUT

MAY DAY

Let us show our determination to

Stop Hitler and Save Peace

© Win Legal Right of Trade Union Organization
® Secure a Jobs and Recovery Program
@ Maintain Our Democratic Rights

MONDAY - MAY |]

12:45 p.m.

Assemble:

ROUTE: Down Cambie to Hastings, along to Burrard

CAMBIE GROUNDS

3

alongs Burrard to Georgia, to Stanley Park.

DE

Sponsored by 19398 May Day Committee
Room 305 Holden Buildings

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