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FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND DEMOCRACY

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OL. 6. No. 11. Full No. 272.

VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1940

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outh Opposes Conscription

Absence Of
Peace Policy
Deplored

Youth Congress
Delegates Condemn
War Measures Act

Failure of the Canadian gov-
snment to advance any con-
| ructive proposals or make
jny effort to maintain peace in
Jurope through lack of an in-
ependent foreign policy and
‘tne manner in which Canada
fatered the war despite federal
jlection promises in 1935, were
tharply criticized by the 200
elegates, representing 45,000
Young people in British Co-
Yambia, attending the second
Provincial Youth Congress last
"yeekend. The Congress eon-
‘luded its four-day session at

Provincial Normal school late

+n Monday.
; The foreign affairs commis-
sion emphasized the centradic-
> tion in the government's policies
which still permits shipment of
war materials to Japan for use
in aggressive warfare, while it
auneunces its readiness to fight
aggression in Europe.

Unanimous opposition to con-
cription either by law or through
pplication of economic pressure
o force anyone into the armed
orces was expressed by delegates
md steps to inform the govern-
nent of the position were approy-
d. Delegates also fayored meas-
iwes to rally greater opposition to
vonscription Measures.

' Independence for India was
another demand endorsed by the
cengress.

Upheld by full assembly was the
ocial problems commission report
m the War Measures Act and the
defense of Canada regulations that
tne Act which delegates dictator-
al powers to the governor in coun-
il without any provision for par-
jamentary revision established a
yery dangerous principle. if par-
jamentary institutions are to be
oreserved, parliament and not the
sabinet must be the lawmakers.

“They go far beyond the pre-
cautions neecssary for the legit-
imate protection of Canada in
war time and strike at the very
foundations of Canadian demo-
eracy. Popular movements must
not be restrained in the discus-
sion of matters of public con-
| cern,” the report stated.

Regulations 21, 39, 39A and 68 of
the War Measures Act were sin-
gled out as being those which, if
enforced, will impose a virtual dic-
tatorship on Canadians, since any
person who incurs the displeasure
of the minister of justice can be
imprisoned without trial, and or-
ganizations can be disbanded.
SCORE CENSORSHIP

Censorship of radio and press
was criticized as being far too ex-
tensive and the report held that it
should be modified to include only
military and naval affairs. Recent
raid on New Advance, progressive
youth magazine, was assailed and
the government asked to explain
its conduct.
| Relaxation of the regulations
in favor of prominent persons
while ordinary citizens were
prosecuted gave rise to conclu-
sions that they were designed to
suppress the people’s views and
hamper the average cilizen in
expressing his views, the report
said. .

Included in a number of recom-
mendations for labor legislation fa-
vored by the report were: Inclusion

pre | Ae

(Continued on Page 2)
See CONGRESS

paign was only one phase, continues. The King government,
which imposed the War Measures Act on the Canadian people,
has been returned to power, claiming a mandate to pursue the
course which alrgady has led to a partial blackout of democratic
liberties. Against these repressive policies the people can prevail
only by the strength of their organized protest and their under-
standing of the issues involved.

Wow we must redouble our efforts to translate our slogan,
DEFEAT THE BLACKOUT OF THE PEOPLE'S PRESS, into
a living force. And a vital factor in the fight for a free press
is the success of the Advocate’s $3500 press drive.

That workers and farmers throughout the province realize
the lead the Advocate is giving in the fight to defend their in-

terests our mail demonstrates.

Hardrock miners in Bralorne,

remembering the Advocate’s support of the Pioneer strike and
knowing its stand for organization of the entire mining industry,
have responded promptly to our appeal. Coal miners on the
Island, fruit growers in the Okanagan, farmers in the Fraser
Valley, fishermen and loggers up the coast, all are forming press

To each of our readers we

fund.

committees to ensure the success of our drive.

make this appeal: Help us to

help you by making your donation, however small, te our drive

To all of our committees—and there are some we have not
yet heard from—we say: The future of the Advocate is in your

hands. Upon your efforts in rallying
port depends the success of our slogan, DEFEAT THE BLACK-

OUT OF THE PEOPLE’S PRESS!

financial and moral sup-

New Soviet-Bulgar Ties

KABUL, Afghanistan. —
Islah, leading Kabul newspa-
per, this week denied rumors
of an alleged danger threaten-
ing Afghanistan on the part of
the Soviet Union, and rumors
of military preparations by Af-
ghanistan.

The newspaper declares that
friendly and good neghborly re-

jations exist between Afghanis-
tan and her neighbors.

“Tately certain foreign news-
papers have been spreading infor-
mation and publishing articles
about the alleged danger of an at-
tack on Afghanistan by the USSR
and military preparations by Af-
gshanistan,” declared Islah.

“The Egyptian newspapers, more
so than others, are printing this
information.

“Thus the Egyptian journal Al
Hilal in its issue of February 26,
earried information about Afghan-
istan preparation for war and
about the military measures un-
dertaken by her.

“As before, we refute these
statements and consider them as
holding no truth.”

Islah further noted that “friend-
ly and good-neighborly relations
exist between Afghanistan and her
neighbors.

“At the very beginning of the war
Afghanistan declared her neutral-
ity.

“No danger whatsoever threatens
Afghanistan that would necessitate
the undertaking of extraordinary
measures.”

Fallers Obtain
Higher Rate

Fallers at Gibson Brothers Log-
ging camp at Nootka won 10 cents
more a thousand for bushel work
recently, according to Nigel Mor-
gan, BCG board member for Inter-
national Woodworkers of America.
The new rate for fallers working
on the piece work system is 85 cents

a thousand.

Swedish Aid Asked Oct. 18

STOCKHOLM, Sweden. — Sweden’s Prime Minister Per Albin
Hansson revealed in a statement this week that the Finnish govern-
ment unsuccessfully approached the Swedish government for direct
Military aid on Oct. 18 — eleven days after opening of the first Soviet-
Finnish negotiations and six weeks before the outbreak of the Soviet-

Finnish conflict.

No Soviet Threat, Says
Afghanistan Paper

MOSCOW, USSR. — Eco-
nomic agreements between the
Soviet Union and Bulgaria
signed last month are strength-
ening friendly relations be-
tween the two countries, de-
clared Pravda, Communist par-
ty organ, in an article last week
on the economic and cultural
relations between the USSR
and Bulgaria.

The article read in part:

“During the last few days the
growth and strengthening of
friendly relations between the
Soviet and the Bulgarian people
have their roots in the past of Rus-
Sia and Bulgaria, in the historical
affinity of these countries, in their
mutual and cultural ties.

(Gontinued on Page 2)
See BULGARIA

Japanese
To Obtain

BC Copper

Agreement For
Entire Granby
Output Renewed

TOKIO, Japan.—Predicting im-
proved Anglo-Japanese relations,
Sir Robert Craigie, British ambas-
Sador to Japan, in a speech here
Thursday stated that Japan in
her war with Ghina and Britain
in her war with Germany “ultim-
ately are striving for the same
objective, namely, a lasting peace
and preservation of our institu-
tions from extraneous, subversive
influences.”

Sir Robert declared that “there
is growing in each country appre-
ciation of the extent to which the
actions of the other have been
villified and misrepresen

Japan will continue to use
British Columbia copper in her
war against China, according to
the terms of an agreement
reached between Granby Con-
solidated Mining, Smelting and
Power company and Japanese
interests.

The agreement calls for a three-
year extension of the contract un-
der which Japan absorbs the entire
copper output of Granby's Allenby
mine. Expiry date of the present
contract was July 1940, and the new
contract contains a clause provid-
ing for cancellation as of June 30,
i944.

Granby's ore shipments to Japan
in 1939 totalled 1,451,491 tons, it was
disclosed this week.

All copper exported from Brit-
ish Columbia is subject to federal
license, but Granby’s President
Julian B. Beaty said this weel:
that negotiations with Japan bad
been conducted with the full
knowledge and approval of the
King government.

Steel Worker’s
Home Raided

SYDNEY, NS.—Armed with war-
rants under the War Measures Act,
RCMP and city police last week
raided homes of Jack Johnson,
member of Steel Workers Organi-
zation Committee, Lodge 1064, and
Tenatius ‘Naish’ McNeil, in search
of material likely to contravene
the Act.

be held behind closed doors.

This action in stripping the depu-
ties of their right to public trial is
unprecedented in French history
since the revolution and it was ten-
aciously fought by Alexander Ze-
vaes voicing the protest of the
group of eminent lawyers defend-
ing the accused.

“There is not a single case on
record in French history of a po-
litical case being beard in secret.
Was Louis XVI tried behind closed
doors?” he demanded.

Wone of the deputies would
acknowledge the action of the
Chamber of Deputies in ousting
them, proclaiming their right to
represent the voters who elected
them.

“T am a deputy from Paris—
and more than that Iam a deputy
from the glorious Saint-Antoine
quarters,” declared Florimonde
Bonte amid cheers in reference
to the great role played by the
quarter in the French Revolution.
The tribunal refused to recog-

Communist Deputies

Denied Open Trial

PARIS, France—Fearful of the effect of an open trial upon
the French people, the military tribunal trying 44 French Com-
munist deputies on charges of continuing Communist activities
after outlawing of the Communist party by the Daladier gov-
ernment and of “propagating ideas emanating from and con-
cerning the Third International,”

this week ordered that sessions

nize the occupation of the accused
as ‘deputies’ and only after lengthy
legal argument did they give their
civi] occupations.

ACCUSE, DALADIER.

Despite efforts of the presiding
officer to prevent political speeches,
the deputies won the right to ad-
dress the court and, by their cour-
ageous stand were converting the
trial from one of their own actions
into one of the Daladier govern-
ment’s actions. This undoubtedly
was a factor in deciding the tri-
bunal to order a secret trial.

“When this trial is over, I think
the honor of the Communist depu-
ties will be proved, and it will be
known that they deserved well of
their country,” declared BoBnte.

The defense statement, referring
to the assertion that the war was
‘a war for democracy, asked:

(Gontinued on Page 2)
See DALADIER

Formation Of

Anti-Conscription
Leagues Urged

“Return of the King government, which ignored election
challenges that its preparations for introduction of conscription
are so far advanced that an order for printing of one million
registration forms has been placed with a Toronto printing
house, means that the people must organize immediately to de-
feat the imminent threat of conscription,” Fergus McKean, un-
successful candidate for Vancouver East, declared in a post-

election statement Wednesday.

McKean urged formation of anti-
conscription leagues “such as that
formed in Vancouver in 1917,” stat-
ing:

“¥ believe the overwhelming
majority of our people are op-
posed to conscription. That is
why all parties have been forced
to announce their formal oppo-
sition to it. But behind the
scenes preparations for introduc-
tion of conscription are already
far advanced. If conscription is
to be defeated, the people must
form anti-conscription organiza-
tions. I pledge every assistance
to the organization of such
groups.”

Despite the fact that the elec-
tion campaign was carried- out
under conditions created by the
War Measures Act by which Com-
munist candidates were denied use

of the radio to place their platform

before the people and ignored by
a daily press which gave good cov-
erage to all other parties, the 10
Communist candidates throughout
the Dominion rolled up an impres-
sive anti-war vote in Tuesday's
election,

The agregate vote of 12,943 polled
by these candidates, who in several
instances conducted no personal
campaign, is incomplete in several
ridings. The vote is impressive in
that it represents a vote for peace
in those constituencies where the
Communists ran on an anti-war
platform.

In several instances campaign
workers were arrested under the
War Measures Act, committee

(Continued on Page 2)
See ELECTIONS

Seamen Seek Higher Pay

SYDNEY, NS. — Wage in-
ereases ranging from 3 to 19
cents daily for the 10,000
miners employed by Dominion
Coal corporation here were
recommended in the federal
conciliation report handed
down this week a day before
the federal election. The board
estimated the increase at $150,-

000 a year, retroactive to Feb. 1.
Unanimous recommendation ‘was
made that the company erase
an estimated debt of $215,000 owed
the company by miners for coal and
rent. :

The report, submitted by Justice
MeTague, Ralph Bell for the com-
pany and Prof. F. R. Scott for the
miners, is subject to ratification
by Dosco and District 25, UMWA.
The board regretted that miners
must approve the recommendations
by referendum, hinting that it usu-
ally developed into a question of
confidence in the union executive.
Such a method had been discarded
in the US, it noted.

Largest increases were recom-
mended for miners getting daily
rates of from $2.60 to $3.95. Gon-
tract rates for hand-pick miners in
No. 2 colliery would be raised from
55.7 to 62 cents. Shippers and trim-
mers who bunker ships for convoy
on Sundays and holidays would re-
ceive contract rates plus an extra
$6. The board also recommended
that the company and the union
agree on a tribunal to arrange a
new contract next Dec. 1.

The board’s decision on improve-
ments in wages was based on be-
lief in “the right to share in re-
sults,” the report said. ‘That is the
basic reason why we have suggest-
ed that there should be a reconsid-
eration at the end of the year when
the present unpredictables will have
been translated into known facts
and results.”

Board Recommends
Dosco Wage Increases

TORONTO, Ont—(CUNS).
—Great Lakes seamen moved
towards their objectives*of a
$15 monthly increase in pay
this week when representatives
of five districts and , the na-
tional executive of the Cana-
dian Seamen’s union approved
an agreement for submission
to ship owners immediately.
The agreement affects 6,500
seamen from Fort William to
Halifax.

President Pat Sullivan of the
CSU said after the meeting here
that the plans will be discussed
with the Canadian Wavigator’s
Federation and the National As-
sociation of Marine Engineers to
ensure that agreements of the
three bodies shall not conflict

The negotiating committee will
also seek the addition of three ex-
tra Men on an average on every
Ship, 55 cents hourly for overtime
and a closed shop. The monthly
inerease in wages would amount
to 3% to five cents an hour, union
officers said.

The present pay for deck hands
is $55 monthly in Canada with un-
limited hours, Sullivan said. The
comparable pay in the US is nearly
$100 monthly for an eight-hour day
with 75 cents hourly overtime.

“Tt is time the wages of Can-
adian seamen were brought
closer to a living standard and
on 2 parity wth US seamen,”
Sullivan declared. “The proposed
increase will only cover higher
living costs if they keep heading
for the ceiling.”

Outlining gains made in organi-
zation of Nova Scotian fishermen
Sullivan told Toronto Trades and
Labor counci] that they ‘were

raised to 21 cents an hour. Fish-
ermen doing the same work in
Boston were getting 89 cents an
hour and the product was shipped
into Canada and sold cheaper than

the local product despite a tariff,
he said. :

NZ Labor Party Ousts Lee

WELLINGTON, NZ. — J. A. Lee,

position of under-secretary for housin
week expelled from the New Zealand Tape eere see

ritish, Japanese Aims Said Identical ©

Defend The People’s Press

fesse election is over. But the people’s struggle for freedom
of speech, press and assembly, of which the election cam-