THE ADVOCAT

EB

September 29, 1939

Press Drive Gets U

Continued ”

Brita

phrases more carefully. For those
who have supported the @hamber-
lain government in its policy of
non-intervention in Spain and have
the blood of the Spanish people on
their hands . . . those who wished
God-speed to Chamberlain at Mun-
ich; and saved him on September
2 this year, may seek to deceive
the people by venomous attacks on
¢he Soviet Union for refusing to
play the Ghamberlain game, but
iz a short time they will be forced
to recant”

Galling for a new government
that will really wage war to de
feat fascism, Pollitt says it must
be a government that will be able
fo secure the fullest cooperation
of the Soviet Union and the US
and that will inspire confidence
in the German people.

Gallacher Assails
Gov’t’s Policies

LONDON, Eng—(Passed by Bri-
tish Censor) Soviet action in
bringing the armed might of the
Red army to support the freedom
ef the West Ukrainian and West
Byelorussian peoples “completely
and finally demonstrated the utter
bankruptcy of the policy of the
Chamberiain wovernment, which
bas sacrificed Austria, Spain and
Gzechoslovakia in the hope of turn-
ing Hitler frem the West and
against the Soviet Union,” last
week declared William Gallacher,
Communist MP, in the the House
of Commons.

Prime Minister Neville Chamber—
lain, declared Gallacher, refused
Soviet help in the peace front and
the British military mission to
Moscow had no powers except toa
refuse Soviet aid to Poland.

This aid was rejected, Gallacher
continued, when IWazi forces were
gathered on the Polish frontier
and there was no possibility of de-
fending Poland without the Red
army.

In support of his contention that
Poland was not organized for de
fense, Gallacher quoted an article
in the London Times, leading gov-
ernment mouthpiece, written be
fore the Soviet action, in which the
writer showed the complete demor-
alization and breakdown of all
forms of organization in Polazd.
The Polish government was then
fleeing into Rumania and German
armies were advancing rapidly.

“What is expected of the great
socialist state?” he said. “Are they
just to stand behind their borders
and see all these millions ef Rus-
sians and the masses of the Jewish
people coming under the domina-
dion of the Nazis and to see the
Wazis coming right up to the Rus-
sian frontier?

“We heard in this House from
the prime miumister previously
that our frontier was the BRhine.
What would any statesman or
military expert suggest when 2
yell-organized and powerful .mil-
tary machine was coming
through a country in which there
was no organization OF goyvern-
ment?

“Soviet troops have come in and
drawn a line across Poland beyond
which the German troops dare not
pass. They have drawn 2 line
across the Rumanian frontier be-
yond which the Germans must not

oO.

? “The Soviet armies have brought
peace and security to the Polish
people in the territories that they
have occupied.”

Gallacher placed responsibility
for the Polish debacle on the Bri-
tish, French and Polish govern-
ments and called their action in
preventing Red army aid—the only
possible aid for Poland—an invita-
tion for Hitler to march -

He concluded with 2 eall for a
People’s government: for Britain.

<

Where Poles Made

BLAZING oil tanks at Westerplatte, Polish munitions dump
a gallant defense, light up the sky after being set afire by

Gallant Stand

near Danzig surrendered after
a terrific Nazi bombardment.

Continued

‘Threat

been prohibited. So also the Ad-
yocate and the Federationist broad-
casts have been taken off the air.
We now have a situation under
which M. J. Coldwell and J. S58.
Woodswerth can address the Tory
and Liberal MP’s in the House at
Ottawa explaining their attitude
to the war but cannot address the
Ganadian people in their homes
by broadcasting a speech.

But the radio gag is only a be
ginning. Already there are the
beginnings of a campaign to gaze
even the elected representatives of
the people and prevent them from
carrying on their elected duties.

To date this has been expressed
in the vicious campaign against
Alderman Stewart Smith in Toron-
to that is now taking the form of
preventing him from serving on
city council committees. But have
there not already appeared hints
in the editorial and letter columns
of the capitalist press that Woods-
worth should be prevented from
expressing his viewpoint because of
“war conditions.”

Ontario’s parliament was first
to meet since the war started. At-
torney-General Conant introduced
ir the House Bill No. 8 entitled,
“Public Meetings and Processions
Act, 1939,” and with a few amend-
ments it has already been passed.
The attorney-general himself de-
scribed it as containing features
both of the defunct Section 98 and
the Quebec padlock law. And the
significance of the measure is fur-
ther explained in 2 Toronto news-
Paper by Columnist Judith Robin-
son, who writes:

.“Jn passing Mr. Conant’s Bill No.
8, Ontario legislators have need-
lessly and foolishly arrogated to
local law officers emergency Pow
ers that should have stayed where
they belonged: in the Sedition Act
and the hands of the Dominion
authorities. They have endowed
every village constable in Ontario
with authority to ignore the Bill of
Rights and arrest and detain Can-
adian citizens without warrant.

“Tt is true that, on pretext of
guarding freedom, the paid ser
vants of a free people have robbed
them of freedom’s guarantee, the
right of free assembly. It is true
that they have restored without
check and handed over to reeves
ana aldermen and police magis-
trates a privilese of oppression

Continued

The Week

jieves, is erystallizing around the
following questions:

“7 How much response was
made to the demands which the
Poles allege they made four times
for direct aid against Germany
from the Western Allies? :

“9 Tf no direct aid was possible
why has Royal Air Force activity
over Germany been confined © to
Kiel and the leaflet ‘confetti raids’
without an attack upon the rear of

the Siegfried Line or armament
centres?
“3. Why does British control

permit British newspapers to fill
columns of their much reduced
space with Wazi propaganda pic-
tures and Nazi propaganda stories
_jncluding no less than two dii-
ferent stories emphasizing the ‘gen-
tlemanliness’ of Nazi U-Boat com-
manders?

“4 Why has the
followed or permitted 23 financial
policy which in the first fortnight
ef the war has produced serious
unemployment, slashed wage rates,
wiped out a large section of the
jower middie class, and produced
‘deflation prices’ in retail trade,
while neither the armed forces
nor the war industries have yet
been got into position to absorb
the labor unemployed, or to com-

government fF

pensate the loss of wages?”

that our forefathers spent several
centuries of struggle wresting from
the hands of kings.

“Tt is true that there is no clause
in Bill No. 8, as passed, to set a
term to its tyranny or mark it as
an emergency invasion of freedom
that must end with the emergency.

“Al] these things are true, ana
rone of them is cheering to those
or us who hold the idea that we
are in this fight because we want
to stay free.”

When one bears in mind the tre-
mendous powers that the War
Measures Act and the regulations
passed under its authority give to
the government, one can only won-
Ger at motives that induced the
Gntario zovernment to push
through this new law giving muni-
cipal authorities the right to pro-
hibit all meetings and parades and
the right to arrest without war-
rant.

How can men who put chains
vwpon the Canadian people, who
seek to gag and muzzle Canadian
labor truthfully claim to be fight
ing Hitlerism ?

To fight Hitlerism the people
need to be not chained but free. To
defeat Hitlerism we need to put

chains on the profiteers, on the
erstwhile admirers and present
would-be imitators of Hitler at
home.

The CCE is to be congratulated
on its initiative and jeadership in
rallying the forces of labor and
progress in defense of civil liber-
ties.

Tt is not too soon!

iCarpenters’ Union Asks
Action On Profiteering

_Action of federal and provincial governments to keep food
prices down to a reasonable level by curbing war profiteers is
sought in a resolution endorsed Monday by local 452, United

Brotherhood of Carpenters and

Minister Mackenzie King and Premier T. D. Pattullo.

is a2 growing tendencyse

“There
toward hoarding among those in 2
position to pay, thus helping for-
ward the move to raise prices and
making it difficult for the poorer
section of our people to get the
necessities of life,” the resolution
states.

Governments are asked to main-
tain the people’s morale and confi-
dence and offset strikes against
high food prices by curbing=the
profiteers.

Jewellers Sign
With Shores

Watchmakers in Shores Ltd., 151
West Hastings street, have signed
up with lecal 42, Jewelry Workers’
union. An agreement with the com-

Joiners and forwarded to Prime

pany has been reached, but owing
to the increase in gold prices and
watch repair materials arising out
of the war situation, no wage scale
could be set. Agreement is for an
indefinite period, to be re-opened
at any time for an upward revision
of wages in keeping with rising
living costs.

Union Finds
Call For Drivers:

Difficulty of finding 125 men sui
ficiently skilled to drive trucks to
replace drivers called up for serv-
ice in the armed forces has been
overcome by International Brother—
hood of Teamsters, according to

(

Ree. Atkinson, union official.

nder Way

Flying
Column

In Lead

Trade Unionists
Pledge To Raise
Quota Of $600

A terse official communique
issued by the general staff from
press drive headquarters this
week states: “Our forces have
gone into action on all fronts,
with good results in many sec-
tors. Reinforcements are be-
ing moved up on the southern
BC front where progress is
slow.”

According to experts on the Ad-
vocate staff, this means that the
long-awaited general offensive to
raise $4000 for publication of a
bigger paper has now been
jaunched_. Before long, they predict,
shock troops will make sufficient
advances to pay off old debits.
Then, they say, the big task of
reaching the objective will be
undertaken.

Ear in advance of the main
forces, OG)’ Bill’s flying column this
week took $19 of its $100 objective,
outflanking Enderby and Salmon
Arm-forces, which obtained $15 and
$5 respectively.

On the northern front where poor
communications and scattered com-
munities makes contact difficult,
guerilla forces reported some gains,
notably at Quesnel, which has
pledged to raise $50, “war or no
war !”

Only minor activities thus far
have been recorded in the Fraser
Valley sector. :

Among trade unionists in the city,
who have their own battalion, rais—
ing of $17 towards a $600 objective
has been officially reported to drive
headquarters. 5

Total advance recorded to date is
$135.09, far short of the $4000 ob-
jective, but comparing favorably
with the corresponding period in
the last drive.

The general staff reported this
week that to reach the $4600 objec-
tive.on time it requires a daily con-
tribution of $69.02. At the same
time it issued an appeal to ali field
forces ‘‘to step it up.”

Cathedral Protected Against Air Raids

SANDBAGS are piled befo

4:

re the entrance

of the Meaux cathedral in France to protect it
against damage from possible air raids and artillery shelling. -

Contimued

George
Tiga George stated that Byelo-

russia and West Ukraine districts

into which the Red army marched
were not Polish.

He called attention to the fact
that they were conquered by the
Polish government in 1920, and
that the Ukraine, especially, was
taken “by force of arms despite
armed resistance by the Ukrainian
population of that province.”

“The Supreme Council of Allies,”
Lloyd George wrote, “sitting in
Paris in 1919 protested vehemently
against the action of Pilsudski in
forcibly annexing territory.

“The Versailles treaty did not
recognize that act of rapacity. The
same thing applies to Vilna, which
was annexed by Pilsudski in spite
of a formal protest by the League
of Wations.”

Lloyd George said the “purely
Polish ground” in the protection of
the USSR will be fully assured of

its rights, and concluded:
“The vast majority of the
Ukrainian people dwell in the

Ukrainian Republic, which consti-
tutes an integral part of the Soviet
Union.”

—

Uphold Soviet

Frank W1ges,
firmative, upheld the action of the
USSR, and backed up the resolu-
tion, “that Russia was justified in
her recent change of policy,” by
citing historical developments.

Ubyssey, student publication,
quotes him: “Changes in Soviet
foreign policy are due to the long
series of betrayals of Russia by
the powers of Europe. She was not
consulted at the Munich confer-
ence when her ally, Czechoslovakia,
was being partitioned; her disarma-
ment proposals were ignored, and
she was forced into a two-decade
isolation policy”

He reminded the audience of the
war of intervention waged against
the USSR in the immediate post-
war years, and made mention of the
economic boycott earried on by
world powers. :

Speaking against the resolution,
Robert Clarke charged betrayal of

University Students

A big majority vote in favor of recent steps in the foreign
policy of the Soviet Union was registered at the University
of British Columbia last Friday by more than 250 students at-

tending a parliamentary forum debate.
leader of the af-?

Actions

Poland and of the principles of
communism. He also made an ap-
peal on the basis of reports of the
killing of Polish priests.

Other speakers maintained and
the final vote ratified the opinion
that the double-crossers had been
double-crossed, and that Russia

was justified in her recent ac-
tions.

Youth Center
To Be Opened

Creation of a youth center at
130 West Hastings street has been
undertaken by a group ef young
people from the citys west end
area. The center will be epened
this Saturday, Sept. 30, with a

Continued

Reactionary elements scored 4
point when the chairman, acceding
to their objections, ruled that J.
B. Salsberg could not speak to the
resolution because he had asked
@ question prior to opening of dis-
cussion. This action drew protests
from all sections of the hall.

Following the vote taken by a
show of hands, Collins and Sais—
berg asked that their vote be re-
corded “as not being opposed to
the mobilization of the labor
movement in a war against Hit-
ler’s nazism, but because the re—
solution as presented is totally
inadequate and does not suffi-
ciently bring out labor’s posi-
tion and will therefore not serve
to mobilize labor and the people
at large for a real war against
fascisn”

In the opening sessions a letter
was received from President RP. M.
“Paddy” Draper, who was unable
to attend because of ill health, an-
nouncing his resignation from the
presidency.
“It is with sentiment of very
deep regret that I have to inform,
you that I shall not be able to
allow my name to be considered
by this London convention for the
office of president,’ wrote Draper.
“This step I have taken upon
the urgent and definite advice or
my physicians who tell me that a
continuance of the strenuous ef
forts of recent years might prove
fatal in a short while,’ the letter
conciuded.

Delegates heard assurances from
Ontario Labor Minister N. O. Hipeli
that Ontario would strive to have
wages keep pace with rising com-
modity prices and that representa-
tions would be made to the federal
gevernment on this question.

A composite resolution on an or-
ganizational program was approved
by delegates with some opposition,
whereby the executive council m
conjunction with representatives
of international unions would lay
down an organizing program so far
as consistent with existing condi-
tions and means at their disposal.
Agreement was reached with
Winnipee Trades and Labor coun-
cil that the new executive should
campaign for incorporation in pro-
vVincial statutes of legislation to
outlaw company unions whereby
employers would be compelled to
recognize collective bargaining with
bona fide unions and provisions
would be established to determine
what union should haye exclusive
bargaining rights.
Delegates endorsed a Jewelry
Workers’ union resolution to bring=
more Canadian youth into indus
try by embarking on an organiza-
tion program.

“A resolution advocating public
Ownership of all banking and cre
dit institutions submitted by Fort
William received approval of dele
gates without debate.

Strict government supervision
of all private detective agencies
as asked by Hotel and Restaur-
ant Employees union of WVan-
couver won full approval of con-
gress delegates. The resolution
Stated that large industrial con-
cerns are employing a system of
labor espionage im order to ob-
struct and destroy labor unions.

A resolution asking for a federal
probe of insurance companies was
rejected. Percy R. Bengough, Van-
couver, doubted whether any good
would be achieved from a commis-
Sion, knowing what the set-up
would be like.

Continued

Right

eratic Rights movement which will
comprise delegates from a cross-
section of the community.

At a meeting held last Sunday,
the movement appointed a pro
visional committee composed of
A. A. Elkington, Keith Ralston, J.
Almack, E. Merton, Mrs. Bell, Mrs.
Davis and E. Rayment, a censor-
ship committee and a committee
for investigation of food profiteer-
ing.

Primary task of the censorship
committee will be to bring the full
import of the new censorship regu-
lations to the public, to reveal the
effect they will have on the demo-
eratic rights of the Canadian peo
ple. Held to be particularly sig-
nificant was the fact that no pub-
licity to these regulations has been
Siven in the local press.

_The food profiteering investiza-
tion committee will cooperate with
a Similar committee of the Tocal
Council of Women and will en-
deavor to present adequate proof
of flagrant profiteering to the gov-
"ernment for action.

Answering a real need at the
present time, the Democratic Rights
movement will demand: mainten=
ance of peacetime democratic
rights during the war, freedom of
conscience involving opposition to
conscription of man-power for war
purposes, freedom of assembly and
maintenance of the right to or
ganize, freedom of expression, rec-
ognition by the government of the
people’s rights to freedom of the
press and radio. It will act as an

‘first night’ social affair and dance.
The group is appealing for do-
nation of sports equipment.

effective medium through which
public expression and action may
be taken.

SCANRES

prea spearnle.t

og eels ala aa

Tica SRR Oca IST

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Wh ues LE

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