THE ADVOCATE THE ADVOCATE (Formerly The People’s Advocate) Published Weekly by the Advocate Publishing Association, Room 20 168 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. Phone TRinity 2019. EDITOR - HAL GRIFFIN One Wear 2 $2.00 Three Months —————————-— $ -60 SEER SENSE ose ee eee eee __$1.00 Single Copy ——-—-—-———--- $ .05 Make Ail Cheques Payable to: The People’s Advocate Vancouver, B.C., Friday, Octeber 6, 1939 A Threat To Liberty (Oye a brief four weeks ago the people of Canada, by a decision in which they had no direct voice, were involved in a war arising from policies in the shaping of which they bad no part. This war, Prime Minister Chamberlain has said, is to end Hitlerism, more explicitly to remove from power “Hitler and his group of wicked men” and replace them with an “honor- able’ German government. Just what would constitute an “honorable” German government remains undefined. Beyond a reiteration of these vague and most unsatisfactory war aims, our own Canadian government has failed to state its aims in this war. The Canadian people have a right to know. One thing is clear. Spokesmen for reactionary forces in Canada, Hon. R. J. Manion and Col. George Drew, have on occasions found “admirable” qualities in fascism, although now they seek to cover up such damaging statements with noisy denunciations of Hitler. While there is just cause for doubting the anti-fascist sentiments of those who have in the past expressed admiration for fascism, surely if they have anti- fascist and not imperialist aims in +his* war their logical de- mands would be for the safeguarding of the democratic rights and civil liberties of labor and the people in general, for the removal of all pro-fascists from important posts. Instead, what are their demands? The Hepburn govern- ment in Ontario, the avowed enemy of labor and the progres- sive movement, seizes upon the war emergency to introduce legislation hardly less sweeping than the Duplessis govern- ments padlock law. In Toronto city council, Ald. David Bal- four, a pro-fascist, is supported in his attack on Ald. Stewart Smith, a Communist, around the accusation that Smith criti- cized Prime Minister Chamberlain’s policies. Now the demand is raised on Toronto city council that the federal government suppress the Communist party, which has always shown itself to be the bitter enemy of fascism in whatever form and wherever it appears. From this one can only conclude that reaction is attempting to conceal its true aims in this war by gagging those who expose the falsity of its avowed aims. There must be no blackout of democracy in Canada. The struggle for preservation of our hard-won liberties now threat- ened by sweeping legislation is of paramount importance. We are rightly proud of our British traditions, the traditions of the British people who fought bitterly and long for our precious rights of free speech and a free press, for the right of a citizen to voice his opinion without threat to his liberty, to criticize and condemn. These rights are now gravely en- dangered by the ever-growing threat that powers to limit them will be used for reactionary ends. It is the first duty of every citizen of a democracy, treasuring the rights the people of that democracy have won, to organize in their defense. Stop The Profiteers AST JUNE it was estimated that twice the normal amount of butter was in storage in Canada. In fact, the Canadian sovernment bought 4,000,000 pounds for free distribution to needy families. When the Wartime Frices and Trade Board was appointed there were still more than 55,000,000 pounds of butter in stor- age, every pound of it bought at the depressed prices caused by a glut of butter. The price of butter to the housewite has gone up seven cents a pound since then. British Columbia Housewives League, investigating pro- fiteering, reports that for September “we know for a certainty that the BC farmer has as yet had no increase.” Fifty-five million times seven cents is $3,850,000 that didn’t go to the dairy farmers. Meats are up on an average of four cents a pound. When the Prices and Trade Board was appointed there were more than 42,000,000 pounds in storage, 7,000,000 pounds more than a year ago. The war profit on 42,000,000 pounds at four cents a pound comes to $1,680,000, and none of it comes to the Cana- dian farmer. High-srade flour jumped as much as 25 cents ona 49-pound sack within a few days after war was declared, and still remains about 10 cents over the price at the end of August. Who can explain, let alone justify, such a jump and such fluctuations when there is still in Canada a tremendous wheat surplus and 4a bumper crop on the prairies? Why should the people fight and pay for the war in order to enable millionaires to accumulate millions by profiteering? scandalous Vaneouver and Victoria cily councils have protested to Ottawa. Attorney-General Wismer has been flooded with complaints since he asked for information regarding cases ot suspected profiteering and has forwarded them to Ottawa. We hear from the press that the staff of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board is working 15 hours a day. But action to satisfy the public is Jacking. We get fatherly admonitions to housewives to stop hoarding when the fact is that the vast majority of Canadian housewives are finding it financially impossible to make both ends meet, let alone store reserves. We get stories that there will be no repetition in this war of the now admitted scandalous profiteer- ing of 1914-18, but the fact is that the cost of living in December 1914 had risen by three points whilst at the end of one month of this war the rise in the cost of living is surely much greater. Not promises but decisive action by all instruments of gov- ernment is what is required. Tet no one say that our profit system is a delicate plant that must be carefully nurtured in order not to be destroyed by rash and precipitate action. T+ * teptta~ toot neotits nerich then the neonle! PEACE ROLE OF SOVIET UNION A Commentary By Fergus McKean Deca arising from the war between the imperialist powers in Europ altered the relationship of the forces of reaction and war on the one hand and the democra unhappy continent on the other. These c pendent diplomatic moves of the USSR. Many critics of Soviet foreign policy (which they termed an alliance) and of “4 stab in the back” and “a prearranged partition’), have spoke of a WNazi-Soviet alliance have been foreed to recognize that the actions of the Soviet Un- ion, far from aiding German fas- cist aggression have materially weakened it and consequently strengthened the forces opposed to war and fascism. Winston Churchill, first lord of the Admiralty, who, following the non-ageression pact sharply de- nounced the USSR, this week made the following pronounce ment to the British parliament: “Tt cannot be in accordance with the interest or safety of Russia that Germany should plant itself upon the shores of the Black Sea, or that it should over- run the Balkan states and sub- jugate the Slavonic peoples of southeastern Europe. That would be contrary to the historic life in- terests of Russia.” We said, further: “Here these interests of Russia fall into the same channel as the interests of Britain and PWrance. Wone of these three powers can afford to see Rumania, Yugoslavia, Bul- garia, and above all, Turkey, put under the German heel. Through the fog of confusion and uncer tainty we may discern quite plainly the community of inter- est which exists between Eng- jand, Franee and Russia to pre- vent the Wazis carrying the flames of war’ into the Balkans and Turkey. “Thus (at some risk of being proved wrong by events) I will proclaim tonight my eonviction that the second great fact of the first month of the war is that Hitler, and all that Hitler stands POLICIES OF USSR OUTLISED for, Have been and are being warned off the East and South- east of Europe.” The facts are that the actions of the USSR have done more to weaken German fascism and also international fascism than any other single factor. Se VEN before the war com- menced the signing of the non-aggeression pact by Hitler not only strengthened the security of the USSR from aggression but robbed Hitler of his fascist allies and wrecked the Rome-Berlin- Tokyo-Burges anticomintern al- liance (read military alliance) and thus wrecked the main threat to world peace. Mere sign- ing of the pact tremendously weakened the ideological founda- tion of German Wazism which was based on the “struggle against Bolshevism.” Since the 11,000,000 Ukrainians and Byelorussians have been re- turned to the Union of Soviet So- cialist Republics (to which they” formerly belonged from 1917 to 1920) not only has the fascist ad- vance been blocked in Poland but the oil wells and wheat fields of the Polish Ukraine, which Hitler had hoped to seize, have been definitely removed from his grasp. With the Red Army on the borders of Rumania and Hungary the possibility that Ger- many may seize the Rumanian oilfields becomes very remote. The foreign influence of the USSR has now definitély replac— ea that of Germany in EBastern Europe. Well may Winston Churchill proclaim that“. - - all IN THE BALTIC Seve. aims in the Baltic and the fir ing in Izvestia, official organ of the Soviet governme tia said that thanks to the treaty “the strategic position in t in the sense of strengthening the p Elaboration of Soviet’s Baltic policy assumed added signifi- cance in view of the fact that the Latvian Foreign Minister William Munters is already in Moscow and has begun conversa tions with Soviet representatives, while Juozas Urbsys, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, is expected mo- mentarily. Undoubtedly, Izvestia pointed its remarks at Latvia and Lith- uania when it declared that “the increase of naval might of the Soviet Union and the strengthen- ing of its strategic positions are also the surest guarantee for the vital interests of the neighboring Baltic states’ 2 HE PRESENT course in the Baltic has its ironic back- ground. Im the jll-fated - conyer- sations entered into by the Soviet Union with Britain and France last spring, one of the key stum- bling blocks was the refusal of the Anglo-French spokesmen t) agree to joint guarantees to maintain the territorial integrity of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Soviet Union then empha- sizead the gravity with which it regards the Baltic Sea as an ave- mue of aggression by insisting that mo yreciprocal mutual as5- sistance pact could be arrived at without definite safeguards against attack via the Baltic. The British and French would not concede such safeguards. Wow, however with the Baltic states comparatively free of An- glo-French pressure and fearful of aggression from both sides in the European war, the Soviet Union is on the road of achieving its aim of security in the Baltic. This essential fact is underlin-— ed by Izvestia -whose editorial said in part: “The Soviet-Estonian mutual assistance pact, signed Septem- per 28, 1939, is a tremendous con- tribution to the cause of ensuring world peace and security. “Tt constitutes an inyportant stage in the consistent and unal- terable struggle of the Soviet Union for peace and completely corresponds to the vital interests oft the peoples of the Soviet country and friendly Estonia. and also of the neighboring coun- ON THE WAR IN N EDITORIAL in Izvestia, under the heading Soviet policy in the present critical situation. Comments “All of mankind, or at any ra to convince themselves that the Soviet-German non- te those who have not lost the which is being kindled by warmongers. “The sharpening of capitalist contradictions which gave rise to the second imperialist war has placed several major European nations in a state of war, doom- ing millions of working people to privation, sufferng and death for the interests of their bourgeoisie. “Pirst Poland, then France and Britain with her numerous vas- sals, dominons, have entered into war against Germany. Sueh is the scale on which the new uni- versal carnage was engineered. “Jf it were not for the Soviet Union and its consistent peace policy, if it were not for the Soviet-Germanm pact as an expres- sion of this policy, the entire world would be eontfronted with an unprecedented military up- heaval, far surpassing all the horrors of the imperialist mas- sacre of 1914-1918. @ cé WE Soviet Union never was, nor will be 2 tool in the hands of others. Tt always pur- sued and continues to pursue its own independent policy corres- ponding to the interests of the “Soviet people, the interests of the world. “With these interests in view it pursued and will continue to pursue 4 policy of peaceful good neighbor and business relations with all countries ‘as long as these countries maintain like re— lations with the Soviet Union and as long as they make no attempt to trespass on the interests of our eountry (Stalin)’. “Proceeding from these funda- mental principles of its foreign solicy, the Soviet Union has con- eluded & mnon-ageression pact with Germany and this historic pact has become a turning point jin the history of Europe. The imperialist war which has flared in the heart of Europe has been localized due to the Soviet-Ger- man pact, its scope limited and the theatre of war narrowed. “The first result of the military clash of the capitalist countries of Europe was the rapid distinte— gration of the hetrogenous Polish state. This “great power’ turned out to be weaker than even }thi- epia in respect to military and state organization. “The Soviet government was compelled to draw its conclusions from the situation thus created. To millions of Ukrainian and Byelorussian working people, the Red Army has brought liberation from the yoke of Polish gentry and from national oppression. qt has united into an integral whole hanged relationships have who viciously denounced the U the occupation of the Ukrainian st success in the attainment of those nt. Commenting on he entire Baltic naval theat ‘ throws into sharp relief the basic tenets 0 ly to appraise the actual facts, were abli be a decisive obstacle for European we } e during the past few weeks have sreatly-— ic, peace-loving peoples of that been brought about almost entirely as a result of the inde- Many of those who so slibly It is not yet too iate te put it into its secabbard.” ; “The situation is clear. It now depends only on the governments of Great Britain and France whether or not a war which was commenced despite the will of the nations, a war threatening the world with new slaughter, will be continued. “And if the efforts of the goy— ermments of the USSR and Ger Many prove futile, the fact wil be established that the responsi- bility for the continuation of the § war rests with Great Britain and France, their governments and their ruling classes.” e CCUSATION that the USSR is” placing its economic fe sources at the disposal of Hit — ler is disproven by the fact that a similar trade agreement has been offered to Britain and az rangements made with Norwe gian shipping companies for pro- vision of vessels to transport | wood products to Britain fron the White Sea and thus avoid” torpedoing by German submar _ ines, which has been the fate of many shipments from the Scan- dinavian countries through the Baltic. Regardless of hind diplomatic manoeuvres by the powers now at war, we can rest assured, as has already been proven, that the iand of socialism will continue unwaveringly t6 pursue a policy im the interests 1 aide g ples) Seaeteaee the motives be f of peace and the strengthening of democracy throughout the world.. tries ite : “On the contrary, the increase of naval might of the Soviet Un- jon and the strengthening of i strategic positions are also the surest guarantee for the vital in= terests of the neighboring Baltic states. E “The Baltic fleet now has plac ed at its disposal powerful sims tegic positions which guarantes it net only defense of approaches to the gulfs of Finland and Riga - but also the possibility of active operations in the Baltic against all possible 2Seressors and viol tors of peace. “The enormous advantage ©& naval bases at approaches to thi gulfs of Finland and Riga lies if the fact that they extend to 68 extraordinary degree the oper tive possibilities of our Bale fleet, and also of the air forces at approaches to the gulfs of Fil F land and Riga and in the Balt A theatre in general. 4 “This in its turn is a poweria strategic factor to establish © durable peace in this part of Bur ope.” : as early as possible the liquidt tion of the present war betwee Germany, on the one hand, a2 Britain and France on the othe hand. @ 6eTF, HOWEVER, their effor remain futile, the responsib) ity for continuation of the WF will rest on Britain and Frans One cannot underestimate a, importance of this declaration + the cause of peace. “The Soviet Union which is non-participant in the war cont | out again as the disinterest consistent and tenacious ene pion of peace, as the defendét = the masses of people who pe been drawn into the calamities — war by the rapacious interests — the capitalists. E “The mutual assiscance pe with Estonia is notable for + fact that the Soviet govern: while ensuring its security Bi), also, is prepared to defend | neighbors, the small states, | uphold their independence 4 jndependent state existe against encroachment by su imperialist powers. Pe) AV] these political and econ’ ic agreements are an express of the Soviet Union's consist! line in foreign policy i: aetna E A RETR seer nsec et Reet as UT ee EERE pm el eT. _ TER NT reapers Po a cach eh lela lean dase (Rtn LTP TNE