THE PEOPLES ADVOCATE

THE
PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE

Published Weekly by the Proljletarian Publishing
Association, Room 20, 163 West Hastings Street,
Vancouver, BG Phone TRinity 2019.

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Meke All Gheques Payable to: The People’s Advocate

Vancouver, B.C. - Friday, August 4, 1939

Canada Must Act
Against Japan

HIRTY-ODD years ago, when Sir Richard
McBride was utilizing the Oriental ques-
tion in British Columbia to maintain his cor-
rupt Conservative regime in power at Vic-
toria, Britain’s relations with Japan were an
important factor governing Canada’s policy.

To draw a superficial analogy with the pres-
ent situation, however, would be to ignore
changed world conditions.

In the decade preceding the world war both
Chinese and Japanese entered Canada in their
thousands. Among all classes, but for differ-
ent reasons, there was a strong demand for
restriction of Oriental immigration, the chief
epposition to restriction coming from big em-
ployers, men like lLieut-Governor James
Dunsmuir, eager to maintain this supply of
cheap labor.

At Ottawa, the Liberal government of Sir
Wilfred Laurier informed the McBride gov-
ernment that while it would not disallow pro-
vincial legislation restricting Chinese immi-
gration, it intended to throw out all acts de-
signed to exclude Japanese immigrants. This
stand the Laurier government maintained,
even though it knew Japan was violating a
verbal understanding by encouraging Japa-
nese to emigrate to Canada through Hawaii,
until the anti-Oriental riots at Vancouver in
1907 led to signing of the Lemieux agreement
—on the Japanese government's own terms.

Despite its knowledge that the jJesislation
would be disallowed, the McBride government
continued to pass its perennial act, aimed alike
at Chinese and Japanese. The disallowance
issue, of course, was used against the Liberals,
both provincially and federally, and cost
Laurier British Columbia’s support in the
1908 federai elections.

Pleading that Japan was Britain’s ally and
must not be antagonized, the Laurier govern-
ment omitted to mention the equally import-
ant reason for its disinclination to act, the fact
that poweriul Canadian interests trading with
Japan were determined that nothing should
be done to injure this trade. Japan was in a
position to retaliate. China, where Canada
also had important trade interests, was too
weak to take retaliatory action.

6

WN THE situation today the Canadian gov-

ernment, influenced by Britain and, even
more important, under the pressure of big

business, is hesitant to act against Japan. But
there the analogy ends.

Japan is a military-fascist power attempting
to extend its domination over all China. A
Japanese victory in China means not only the
deteat of the Chinese people. It means the
strengthening of world fascism. It means a
blow to world peace. For Japan, fortified by
the tremendous natural resources of China,
having achieved the first great step in its plan
for domination of the Pacific, will turn to new
acts of aggression that may well be aimed at
the United States and Canada. It means an
end also to Canada’s trade with Japan and
China, for China, under Japanese exploita-
tion, can supply most of the raw materials
Canada is supplying today.

In the pre-war period British imperialism
used Japan to maintain the “balance of power”
in Asia. Today, Japanese military-fascism
feels itself strong enough to challenge Britain.
Knowing the Chamberlain government's fear
of the militant democracy of its own and other
peoples, aware that Chamberlain government
does not want to see fascism defeated in Japan
and Germany, Japan is exacting concession
after concession from Britain.

Objectively, the new Anglo-Japanese agree-
ment bolsters the military-fascist regime in
Japan, is calculated to aid it in extricating
itself from increasing external and internal
difficulties. Canadians cannot but be vitally
eoncerned and least of all Canadians in our
Coast province.

Under pressure from the big interests sup-
plying Japan with war materials essential to
¢he continuation of its war on China, the King
government has denied the overwhelming
demand of the Canadian people for imposition
of an embargo. It has supinely failed to take
action to combat Japanese espionage and eco-
nomic penetration of BC, thereby endanger-
ing the future of our people.

In cancelling the United States’ commercial
treaty with Japan the Roosevelt administra-
tion has shown Canada the way. Canada too,
can sever its commercial ties with Japan, can
impose an embargo. The best interests of the
Canadian people can only be served in this
way. Other Pacific dominions, Australia,
where Japanese have also followed a policy
of economic penetration and are conducting
fascist espoinage, and New Zealand, are also
concerned. Canada, by following an independ-
ent foreign policy and providing the lead for
other British dominions in the Pacific, can
help to bring concerted pressure on the
Chamberlain government to support Roose-
velt’s stand. If the future security of the Ca-
nadian people is to be safeguarded the King
government must act.

AR

Soviet Writer Discusses War With |
‘China’s Most Brilliant Strategist’

INTERVIEW WHI
“MAO TSE=“FTUNE ©

By R. CARMEN

et

WVTEX we arrived in Yenan to interview Mao Tse-tung, whom the Japanese consider the

most brilliant strategist in China, a sentinel conducted us to a low earthen hut typical
of those in which Yenan students live.

It was indeed a modest hut, but ewerywhere

there

was order

and cleanliness. All the

books on. the many shelves were neatly labelled. They were the works of the great founders
of materialist philosophy, translations of the writings of outstanding military strategists and
many books dealing with various fields of science.

A prominent place in this lib-
rary is devoted to the works of
Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin.
A book by Stalin was lying open
on a table with several pages of
notes.

Mao Tse-Tung was dressed in
a plain soldier's padded jacket
and wore rough hemp-soled can-
vas sandals. He usually works
through the night till the early
hours of the morning and retires
till dinner time.

“Tn the night,’ he told us smoil-
ingly, “it is quieter and easier to
concentrate.”

“Japan,” he declared in open
ing, “is out to conquer China and
the Malayan Islands in order to
build an Eastern Empire stretch-
ing from Singapore to Siberia.
Many persons believe that if the
Japanese meet obstacles they
will give up these plans. In my
opinion, they will make every ef-
fort to fulfill their plans. They
will attempt to overthrow the
anti-Japanese government of
China and crush the antiJapan-
ese front in order to entrench
themselves in the southern
islands and to launch an offen-
sive to the north against Siberia.

“The present international situ-
ation is one in which, confronted
with an alliance of the agegeres-
sive fascist powers, Germany,
Italy and Japan, such countries
as Great Britain, France and Am-
erica, though they stand for
counteracting Japanese ageres-
sion in China, render only limited
and irregular assistance to China
and at the same time are looking
for ways and means of coming to
terms with Japan on the ques-
tion of China.

People Vigilant
Against Betrayal

“cA PAIN was betrayed by the gov-

ernments of the ‘democratic
countries.” But China is not Spain.
The Chinese people will not per-
mit the betrayal ef their country
by Great Britain and France.
China is a vast country and it is
no easy task to conquest and sub-
jugate it.

“In the present international
situation, the only course left to
China is to strengthen the united
and national front, to enhance its
military and organizational power
and to continue its war ot ex
tended resistance until 4 victori-
ous conclusion.

“The overwhelming majority of
the Chinese people are filled with
determination to continue the
war until final victory over the
enemy, There are 4 small num-

ber of persons who desire an
agreement with Japan and are
conducting a struggle against the
central anti-Japanese govern-

ment and the united front. The
strugple is now between the
whole Chinese nation and this

handful of individuals.

“Unless we defeat them, it wil
be difficult to conquer the Japan-
ese. But the Chinese people, in-
eluding the Communists, the pro-
eressive element sin the Kuomin-
tang and other parties, are re-
solved to continue the struggle
until a victorious conclusion.

“Hyver since the present resist
ance to Japan was organized, the
Communist party has done a
ereat deal in combatting the com-
promisers and conservative ele-
ments whose subversive activi-
ties are directed against the unity
of the people, against the anti-
Japanese organizations, the Com-

munist party and the Bighth
Army.

Must Defeat
Compromisers

by HE associates of Wang Ching-

wei have turned their backs
on the vital interests of China
and are betraying their people.
That is why, at the same time
that we strive for victory over
the Japanese, we must defeat
these elements.

“tience the task and policy of
the Communist party is to wage
war against Japan on the one
hand, together with the active
progressive elements of all par-
ties, together with the whole
people, to continue a relentless
struggle against the compromis-—
ers, the confederates of Wane
Ching-wei who betrayed the vital
interests of the nation, on the
other hand.

“The stern struggle has temp-
ered the Chinese Communist
party. The whole Chinese people
are one in their unyielding will
to win the war. That is why our
perspectives are bright.”

Mao Tse-tung told us of the
despicable subversive activities
of the Trotskyists, the traitors to
the Chinese people who have re-
sorted to all means in their ef-
forts to destroy the unity of the
people and undermine the fight-

ing capacity of the Chinese
Army.

“This gang of spies and assas-
sins,’ he said, “is particularly

active in North China, where the
Tirotskyists work under the direct
guidance of the Japanese head-
quarters.

Japanese Aided
By Trotskyists

a6 UITE recently, in one of the
divisions of the Bighth
People’s Revolutionary Army, 2
man named Yu-shih was exposed
as a member of the Shanghai
Trotskyist organization. The Jap—
anese sent him from Shanghai to
conduct espionage and subversive
activities in the Bighth Army-

“Acting on direct instructions
ef the Japanese headquarters
and financed by Japanese money,
the Trotskyist organized a ‘“par-
tisan detachment’ in the central
districts of Hopei province ‘and
ealled it a ‘second column of the
Bighth Army.’ In March two bat
talions of this detachment organ-
ized a mutiny, but these bandits
were surrounded and disarmed
by troops of the Eighth Army-

“The Trotskyist agents are
sent to the border districts and
systematically employ all meth-
ods in their attempts to disrupt
cooperation of the Kuomintang
and the Communist party. They
try to undermine the morale of
the men of the Bighth Army, the
students and the populace in the
border districts. They attempt to
incite the people against the
united front, against the central
government, against the war ot
independence, and against Mar-
shal Chiang Kai-shek.

“In the border districts they
are often caught by the peasants
themselves, who have been organ-
ized into self-defense detach-
ments and wage a relentless
struggle against traitors and
spies.” |

Mao Tse-tung asked me many
questions about Spain and com-
manders of the Spanish Repub-
lican Army. Emi*Siao, who acted
as interpreter, conveyed with
great care the vivid language of
Mao, so rich in proverbs and wit
ticisms, Mao appreciates a good
joke and likes to quote from Con-
fucius.

Mao Tse-tunge revealed a wide
range of knowledge, expressed
in many interesting ideas and
unique insights. When he spoke
of the tremendous achievements
of the Soviet Union it was with
pride. When he referred to Stalin
it was with warmth and sincerity.

It was past midnight when we
took our leave. Mao and his wife
rose to see us off. Standing in
the doorway, they both looked out
into the stillness of the starlit
night,

William Green’s Purpose In Dictating To
Canadian Trade Unions

AN EDITORIAL

IGNS are multiplying that AFL unions in Canada
are not going to accept the dictum of the Wil-
liam Green machine at Washington which demands
exclusion of the CIO unions from

Labor Congress of Canada.

The action of the largest trade union central coun-
cil in Ganada, that at Toronto, when a resolution
came before it asking for the lifting of the suspen-
sion order dictated by William Green,

the Trades and

(7 ANADA has proved that both SFL and Cio
unions CAN work jointly in a federated body
for the welfare of labor and the people.

William Green, arch-splitter, whose machine as-
sisted the defeat of New Deal candidates last No-

is a fair

sample of general trade union opinion through the

country. Delegates to Toronto council showed un-
mistakably that they were in favor of lifting the
even though they referred

suspension order,

matter to their executive committee

motion.

the
in a second

The

job before Canadian trades

vember and who is preparing to spike Roosevelt’s
progressivism now, is dead set to split the Canadian
unions so that he can boast that “no example of
cooperation can be found.”

Canadians can judge from his actions in Canada
just where the blame lies in the United States for
the breakdown in unity negotiations between the
AFL and CIO.

unionists is

Wherever one goes among the trades unions of
Canada, the sentiment is overwhelmingly for unity
of both AFL and CrO unions within the Trades and
Labor Congress of Canada.

The purpose of William Green and his roadmen
in Canada is clear: They are dictated by political
toryism, not by the requirements of Canadian
labor.

When has Green shown any special desire to as-
sist Canadian labor? If it comes to that, the frat-
ernal attention given to Canadian unorganized
workers by the CIO centres has been and is far
greater than any which has been given by the AFL

or its international affiliates.

Green ¢is not taking an interest in Canada for
any other reason than to Kill the splendid example
of unity which the Canadian trades unionists have
been able through the past several years to main-

tain in the Dominion

clear: To pass a resolution at the 55th annual con-
vention of the Trades and Labor Congress in Lon-
don on September 25 demanding the lifting of the
suspension order, on the wholly justifiable grounds
that to suspend CIO unions would deeply harm Ca-
nadian labor, and that cooperation within the Trades
and Labor Congress of both wings is possible as
the past few years have shown.

This is a job that must be done. Otherwise, Du-
plessis, Hepburn, Drew and the rest of the Ca-
nadian reactionaries who are of the same kidney
as Vice-President Garner in the US, will have labor
by the short hairs and will drive home their ad-
vantage with all the unholy zeal their counterparts
are now showing in smashing the Wages and Hours

Act in the Wnited States!

Time is short, By September 5 every resolution
must be in the hands of the Trades and Labor Con-

_ gress if it is to be considered at the London con-

vention. Act now to preserve unity!

SHORT
JABS

by OF Bill

A Real On Sunday, August 6, 1f£ the”
Pi zi weather is fine, and we have
icnic. mo reason to believe it will

not be fine, the picnic of the year will take place =
at Seymour Park on the north side of the Second |)
Warrows bridge. iE
Hitler will not be able to Mussolin on this picnic |
Chamberlain will not be there either. They will not 1)
be missed, however, for there will be lots of people r
there who have their number. The picnic would be © :
a flop anyhow, if it were open to pirates, bandits and —
traitors, but since only honest people will make ap i
the throng everybody is sure to have a good time.
You must be there in person as this is going te be |
an event to remember and to be spoken of till next |
year brings another picnic. Read the ad. on another ie
page for full particulars, Le
Come along and bring the wife and the young’
sters. If you don’t have a wife of your own, bring |.
some other fellow’s wife, but get there with a follew- i
ing primed for ice cream, etc., etc. :

If our prophecies and hopes about the weather
should prove to be haywire and rain, sleet, snow
and earthquakes prevail on Sunday, the picnic will
be postponed for two weeks, to Aug. 20th.

i

Deathless INo ordinary human being
D would put any barriers in
ays. the way of the committee

worxing for 100 days free from fatal traffic acc
dents. Opposition to such an ideal might be ez 46
pected from Hitler with whom murder is a rite, o
Chamberlain, on whose non-interyvention policy rests
the blame for the deaths of hundreds of thousands
of Spanish, Austrian, Czechoslovak and Chinese peo
ple, but not from the ordinary work-a-day indi
viduals who do the world’s work.

Of course we cannot help smiling when officiais &
of the 100 deathless days committee, like the chief
of police, contend that if a man is Killed by a
streetcar or a bicycle, “that doesn’t count.”

A Man or woman ground under the wheels of
BC Collectric juggernaut car or a boy who dies from ~—
a broken neck because profit-hungry manufacturers —
turn out bicycles that fall to pieces while being rid |
den, may not, in the eyes of the police chief, be 4s =
dead as the victims of speed-hog screwdrivers, but
they are just as dead as the 37 loggers (it may be
increased by the time this is read), who made the
supreme sacrifice so that the BC export log business
might reach the highest point in its history—a feat ©
accomplished last month,

Comparisons eee eens “ws oe

= rr in the eit
Are Odious. with 400,000 people using the
streets every day, how much more necessary ish Ff
in the woods where conditions prevail which cause 5
an accident deathrate amongst the 10,000 loggers
almost twice as sreat in actual numbers! —

Last year there were 34 fatal traffic accidents an
the streets of Vancouver. During the same perio&
there were 63 loggers killed in the BC woods. Ona
comparative basis, the percentage of fatalities onthe
streets is .0085, while .63 percent of the men who
produce the record log output for export are killed
yearly, almost 100 times that of the city figure,

A 100 deathless days in the woods is possible on
one condition only — the abolition of highball lee
ging and record-breaking output. And a good i00

percent union is the best 100 deathless days com-
mittee. <

Political Holding up the pact between
T cz k Britain, France and the Sovi-
ricHKery. et Union has been, and is

a definite policy on the part of Chamberlain. In the
House of Commons on Monday last he said all thrés ©
nations were anxious not to “appear to be desireus

ef encroaching upon the independence of other
states.”

a
eet seTe

a

Such utter hypocrisy could emanate only from the 4
mouth of a scoundrel of the deepest dye, to use &
favorite phrase from the old blood-and-thunder j}
melodrama.

The insinuation here is of a dual character. Firstly,
that the Soviet Union, in taking steps to protect
itself by preventing the growth of Nazi power
through Fifth Column tactics in the borderlands
of the Soviet Union, is “encroaching upon the ind&
pendence of other states.” Secondly, that Chamber
lain is interested in maintaining the independence
of other states.

The true situation is, that it is the Soviet Union
which is protecting the independence of Esthonia,
Latvia and Lithuania, protecting them not only from
Hitler’s murder gangs, but from the machinations
of Chamberlain, whose objective is to hand them
over to the aggressors to be used as a jumping-off
place to attack the Soviet Union.

Soviet Union The independence of these
countries does not seem to be

Encroaching? important enough, for Cham-
berlain to fly to Moscow to discuss the matter with
representatives of the Soviet government. That task
is left to a supernumerary or second-rate servant
of the Foreign Office permanent staff who acts 45
an adyisor to the ambassador at Moscow,

When Chamberlain was guaranteeing the inde
pendence of Czechoslovakia, he found it possible
fly to Munich and in the discussions with the blood
spattered Hitler neither of them worried about
appearing to be “encroaching upon the independence
of other states.” The Czechoslovakia people and
their country were handed over to Hitler by Cham-
berlain without a qualm, in spite of their protests.

This concern for the independence of other states
is so much eye-wash best described by the good old |
English words, hypocrisy and scoundrelism,

Chamberlain wants a definition of indirect aggre> §
sion. This tactic has already been defined in AUS
tria, in Czechoslovakia, in Spain, in Memel, is now]
being defined in Danzig and will soon be defined
in the British Empire (already in Tientsin), unless,
this pact with the Soviet Union is signed soon and:
on the terms originally outlined by the Soviet Union. |

1,4
In the wealthier parts on
ARP. London the government 41!
lows money to be spent ob)
deep shelters against the day when Chamberlain®
friend Hitler sends his bombers over London. TH
working class boroughs are only permitted to invest
their money in Sir John Anderson’s dog-kennels))
which are useless for any purpose other than proiit
making, The latest piece of grim humor comes irom)
one borough which is precluded from spendiney
money on deep shelters. Sixteen new mortuariesy

are being opened and an order has been placed fory
thousands of shrouds.

renee er oe eas Cero cel ce ie aaa