Telford, /Morgan To Speak _ Anti-Conscription Contingent Enters Traditional Parade }, Vancouver labor will stage ') s traditional May Day parade ¥ sext” Wednesday under the nain slogan, ‘Safeguard | abor’s Rights, Repeal the | Yar Measures Act’ it was un- 'nimously decided at the May ay conference held last Fri- ‘ay in Hotel and Restaurant Imployees union hall here. The conference was attended by 7% oificial delegates representing “)°9 organizations, with several un- ) fficial delegates from other organi- / ations sitting in. . James Thomson, secretary of In- and Boatmen’s union, was elected hairman of the 1940 May Day ‘onference, Sid Zlotnik, secretary, “nd Mrs. Munrofet, treasurer. This week labor organizations Hroughout Vancouver and the Traser Valley were rushing last- ninute preparations for the pa- ade scheduled to swing off Cam- ne street grounds at 1:30 p.m. Parade route will be as in former ‘ears, along Cambie to Hastings, westward to Burrard, south to reorgia and along Georgia to Lum- ‘erman’s Arch in Stanley Park. A feature of the parade, which will be marshalled by members of Relief Project Workers’ union, will be a ‘No Conscription’ youth bicycle contingent. WANY FLOATS Many floats are being entered by oarticipating organizations, chief iumong them the Housewives ueague, Canadian Labor Defense Seague, Communist party and vari- ous trade unions. Contingenits are expected from the Fraser Valley, yhere Surrey Workers and Farm- Ts Association is preparing to turn tut. in full force. New Westminster S aiso plannine to enter the May Day parade . : Hotel and Restaurant Employees mion- members, it is announced, vill march in uniform. Speakers at the meeting at Lumbermen’s Arch will include Mayor Lyle Telford, Fergus Mc- Kean fsr the Communist party, Nigel Morgan for International Woodworkers’ union, Maurice Rush representing the youth, and Mrs. Hartley, the House- wives’ League. Appeals for supporters to dis- Tribute May Day leaflets were made his week by Secretary S. Zlotnik. Tolunteers are asked to call at 54 East Hastings street. Cyclists rishing to join the anti-conseription ontingent or willing to loan their sycles are asked to call at commit- ee headquarters. Elsewhere in British Columbia, sumberland city council has fol- Owed the custom of other years n declaring May Day a civic holi- lay and the entire mining town is sxpected to turn out for the pa- ade. Among speakers at the meeting will be William Stewart, sresident of Hotel and Restaurant Famaployees union in Vancouver. May Day meetings are also be- ig held at Nanaimo and Victoria. epeal Of War Act, May Day Slogan MAY DAY ISSUE The ADVOCATE FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND DEMOCRACY EIGHT PAGES VOL. 6. No. 15. Full No. 276. VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1940 <= 2 5 Cents To Japan Hinted Would Be Given In Return for Acceptance Of Pacific Blockade TOKYO, Japan. — There were hints this weel that the British government may be preparing to offer concessions French imterests in China and facilitate the Allied blockade, aimed principally at the Soviet Union, in the Pacific. The Japanese-controlled press at Pientsin has already indicated that the Japanese blockade of British and French concessions in that city, against which US Ambassa- dor Joseph ©. Grew protested this week on the ground that it is Causing hardships to Americans, will be lifted if Britain and France reach an agreement with Japan on disposition ef the Chinese goy- ernment’s silver stocks now stored in concession vaults. Recently the Japanese govern- ment issued a2 warning that - it would interpret as an encroach- Ment on its interests Allied block- ade operations in what are regard- €d as Japanese waters. Now it is hinted that in re- turn fer concessions Japan will consent to intensification of the blockade in the Pacific designed te prevent oil, copper and tin from the United States, rubber from the Dutch East *Indies, from reaching the Soviet’s Far Eastern port of Vladivostok. Suggestion that Britain may lower the tariff on Japanese tex- tiles entering India was also made here this week. Organizing Committee, won a Both strikers were won with blackout the workers’ right to | Five thousand Great Lakes sea- Men, members of the Canadian Seamen’s union, won pay increases ‘0 $71.50 monthly, representing in 30Me instances a gain of 15 per- zent, following a week’s strike. The CSU agreed to submit other Pontract provisions to a concilia- Hion board after the shipping com- Danies made additional concessions at the height of the strike. The strike was a definite vic- tory for the union, which defeat- ed the combined efforts of the gevernment and shipping com- Panies to illegalize such action. J. L. Cohen, KG., noted labor lawyer, was named as union rep- resentative on the board which is expected to begin hearings al- most immediately. Cohen is also representing Teck-Hughes gold Miners on a board at Kirkland Lake. Local 222,, UAW-CIO, endorsed he seamen’s strike at an overflow Great Lakes Seamen Win Wage Increase TORONTO, Ont.—(CUNS).—Canadian workers, both AFL seamen and CIO steelworkers organized in the Steel Workers smashing victory to improve heir working conditions and obtain wage increases to cope with the rising cost of living in two strikes here last week. the united support of labor against the attempt by the government and big business to collective bargaining. meeting and approved a resolution condemning the ‘anti-labor’ action of the federal labor department in publicly asserting that the strike was ‘illegal’ at the exact time when the shipping companies were about to negotiate with the union. This action prejudiced the democratic collective bargaining rights of the seamen, the resolution declared, as the companies withdrew from ne- gotiations, believing that the goy- ernment was supporting them. Four hundred employes of Fit- tings Ltd., Oshawa, members of SWOC lodge 1817, won a 744 per- cent pay increase and other im- proved conditions after a three weeks’ strike. Fittings, Ltd., has a clause in its contract providing for a wage boost as of next Dec. 1 based on the rise in the cost of living. Time and a half will be paid for over- time and a grievance committee Concessions to Japan to strengthen Anglo- P. O. BOX 305 Gentlemen: the Trades and Labor Cagress som of which Have been subjects last year. every Cansdian industry. : Bupport, we are, Adveértisim Rates: Full Page $125.00 Half Page 65.90 Au Quarter Page § 35.00 Affiesd with Sole La Afflicted wick ‘The American Fetoence COUNC ‘The Tredes end Lebor Compre ef Laker TONDON- CANADA. of Ceneda LONDON, 1939 sy Dth, During thse month of Septembsr the SSth Annual Convention of. of Canada wiil “be held in Lmdon, ani our Council will be hoste to between 500 ani 600 Delegates, represent— ing every craft and industry from Vancouver to Halifax. Meny important matters are on the agenda for deliberation, for recent newspaper reference, such as the mijor issue of confirming the action of our Executive in ex- pelling from the Organization all Canadian affiliates of the G.I.0c, thereby carrying out our promise to our Industrial friends, that we- Fould accomplish this fact at the Convention held in Niagara Falls As an Employer of Lator, you will appreciate tre importame or organized labor being directcd unier sane and friendly leadership, thereby miking possible undisturbed production througaout our Canadian industriee, which oan only be attained through co-opsration and mtual umlerstanding between industry and organized labore Tnis Convention is the mouthpiece of over 200,000 Canadian workers, and it's truly representative character and the souniness of the policies it has adymated for the past 50 years, have earned for the Trafes and Lsbor Congress of Canada the esteem ami respect of é Ys are writing you this letter anticipating the moral and financiel eupport of yur Company in enabling our Council to fulfill it's duty in successfully handling tie 1939 Gonvention. Esch year our Convention publication is issued and subsorip— tions and advertising aré solicited; ani from this means of support we ore able to defray the heavy Convention expenses. is the only appeal made throughout the year for your assistance. Furthermore, this Thanking you in anticipation of your kind co-operation and LN, Di lau AJ Whitelaw, Seoretary Hosts to the $5th Anmual Convention of The Trades and Labor Congress of Canada ae September, 1939 => within three weeks. Affiliation of other unions is gaining momentum since United Mine Workers of America official- ly affiliated with the ACCL last week. International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers here is ayraiting advice from its head- quarters in Denver, Colorado, be- fore making any move. When approved each of the five locals in BC will be circularized pre- paratory to taking a vote. Inland Boatmen’s union is leay- ing the question in abeyance pend- ing receipt of further information and assurance that no jurisdic- tional problems with the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employes, an ACCL affiliate, will arise as a result of affiliation. At the TWA meeting last week it was decided to call a confer- ence of CIO affiliates in about a month’s time to establish a pro- yincial industrial union council for British Columbia. After the meeting District Sec- retary Nigel Morgan stated: “While this action is not our responsibility, nor is it of our seek- ing, it is the only answer to the bureaucratic, hair-splitting tactics of the reactionary AFL leaders.” Michael Widman, assistant CIO director, now touring the Pacific Northwest, will be invited to at- tend the BC gathering. NEW CONGRESS MOOTED. Affiliation with the ACCL ac- cording to CIO officials here “is the first step in a series of im- portant moves to establish a com- pletely self-governing legislative and organization central body to deal effectively with the great problems affecting Canadian la- has been accepted, bor.” Loggers Recommend ACCL Affiliation Affiliation of International Woodworkers of America (CIO) largest single union in BC, to the All-Canadian Congress of Labor as the first move to establish a new Canadian labor con- gress, Was contained in a resolution adopted last week by the union’s district council meeting in Nanaimo and sent to all locals. If approved, the affiliation move will be completed In a press statement released this week, Morgan stated: “It is our firm conviction that’ this development brings a new Tay of hope to the unorganized workers in Canada I¢ is the first step toward the building of a new Canadian trade union center, Where unity of purpose, intelli- gent political action for labor and social legislation and an ag- gressive trade union policy can tackle the great problem of or- fanizing the unorganized, to es- tablish greater job and social security for the majority instead of a few labor aristocrats. “The new move has the com- plete support of our international Officers and the CIO. It will not change in any way our interna- tional affiliation, as provision is being made in the now enlarged Congress for the affiliation of in- ternational, national and local un- ions, “We cannot bury our heads in the sand any longer to the fact that there is no unity in the labor Movement, and that this division in the house of labor only benefits the employers. “If Canadian labor is to march forward and protect its demo- cratic rights, and improve its living standards, unity must be achieved, “The formation of the new Can- adian Congress of Labor, which will be completed in a representa- tive convention to be held shortly, is a tremendous step in this direc- tion, and will provide encourage- ment and stimulus to the organiza- tional] program which the combin- ed unions will be able to press forward.’ issue. In Jan. 1939, the Trades and Labor Congress executive, under pressure at that time from AFL President William Green and his executive, de- cided to expel £IO affiliates. At the Congress convention in Sept. 1939 the expulsion deci- sion was ratified after bitter opposition from Communist and other progressive delegates who charged that the Road- men’s Association was seeking to destroy Canadian trade union unity. This letter, sent out by London Trades and Labor council in May, 1989, by its pointed reference to “carrying out our promise to-our industrial friends” and its fawn- ing tone, indicate that expulsion of CLO unions from the Congress Was carried out in collaboration and agreement with Canadian big business. It further indicates that this ex- pulsion was to have been carried out at the 1938 convention where, unable to overcome the opposition of unity delegates, reactionaries contrived to leave a loophole in the unity resolution of which they later availed themselves to expel the CIQ. Concert Planned To Help China’s Sth Route Army To Vancouver Chinese, as to Chinese throughout the world, the struggle of the Highth Route army against the Japanese invaders of China is a promise of eventual victory. To aid the army in training doctors, nurses, teachers, the Chung King Association is sponsor- ing a concert at the Croatian hall, Campbell avenue, on Sunday, May 5. Tickets at 25 cents are available at the New Age Bookstore. BUSINESS TIE-UP WITH AFL CLIQUE EXPOSED C1lO Expulsion ‘Promised Our Industrial Friends’ Kividence pointing to an understanding between reactionary American Federation of Labor representatives in Canada and Canadian big business, which throws a revealing light on the recent expulsion of CIO delegates from Vancouver and Toronto trades and labor councils and also serves to explain current moves to expel all Communist and other militant trade unionists from! the councils, is revealed in a letter sent out by London Trades and Labor council, photostat of which appears in this Fishermen Complete Merger Miove Paves Way For Greater Unity In BC industry With the merger this week of | Salmon Purse Seiners union and United Fishermen’s union one of the most powerful and influential fishermen’s unions on the Pacific Coast comes into being. The merger is regarded as representing a long step to- wards labor unity in the BC fishing industry. Results of a referendum con- ducted among members of Unit- ed Fishermen’s union were dis- closed last Saturday, showing that 148 favored accepting the Salmon Purse Seiners into mem- bership. Only eight opposed the merger, while there were two spoiled ballots, Early last February SPSU mem- bers voted 253 in favor of merging, with 75 abstaining, and at the con- vention in March the application for the merger was ratified. The UFU convention a few days later also ratified the application and instructed its executive to conduct the referendum. Affairs of Salmon Purse Seiners as a local were wound up Tuesday night after announcement had been made that its members had been accepted as a salmon purse Seine section of the United Fisher- men’s union. “The merger is a step towards unity in the fishing industry, for which we have worked some con- Siderable time and tHe success of which we are highly pleased,” George Miller, secretary of the Salmon Purse Seiners’ union, told the Advocate this week. “The United Fishermen’s union referendum Overwhelmingly ac- See FISHERMEN (Continued from Page Four) such as yourselves, through suffering. to a better life. May Mayor Telford’s Message The following May Day message was this week released to the labor press by Mayor J. Lyle Telford: “As this May Day nears we are all conscious of the heavy burdens forced upon humanity in general and the workers : in particular. Our only consolation lies in the fact that from this maelstrom may emerge a brighter world for us all, since man only seems to learn and progress “We are slowly but all too slowly, approaching the idea that through cooperation, not competition, we may avert these great national and international tragedies which bring priva- tion and death to millions of our fellows. “Your organizations are among the pioneers along this road your efforts continue to prosper.”