Jobless i Man Ta kes Own Life Declare Economic Conscription Part Of Gov’t’s Plans The federal government’s ) war economy program of com- /pelling municipalities to slash ) their relief expenditures in line )with shrunken appropriations from senior governments took its first victim in Vancouver last weekend when Vernon Harte, 53, sick and denied further relief, toolx his own life. f Harte, who had been under a . dictor’s care for the past three S years a5 a result of injuries sus- {tained in a logging accident nearly p10 years ago which left him semi- “paralytic, wrote a note stating that ‘he did not wish to become a burden ‘upon his friends. Since he had been cut off relief and could not work even if he found employment, he said, he was taking what he con- Sidered to be the only way out. A native of BC, Harte worked on coastal vessels and in logging camps until an accident which erushed his chest and left him with Bb weak lungs and heart rendered him unfit. Though sick and unable to take part in more strenuous activities, Harte was a strong supporter of ‘the Canadian Labor Defense League and the Relief Project Workers’ union. In these organizations he made many friends who this week raised the money necessary to take funeral arrangements out of the hands of city authorities. Home Funeral parlors were filled Thursday when A. Hogarth deliy- ® ered the funeral oration and many of those who attended proceeded to Mountain View cemetery, where RPWU leaders took charge of the burial. aaa ew, SD indications that not only single men but also a large number of married relief recipients will soon feel the bite of the government’s axe was seen this week as relief investigators yisited city homes, enquiring as to the ages of unem- ployed men, their experience and efforts to find work, and broadly hinting that those under 45 were still eligible for military service. Unemployed Joint council spokesmen here charged that the relief slashing program is an at- tempt to enforce ‘economic con- secripiion,’ and are planning an active campaign to enlist public * support in opposing the measures. Scores of single unemployed men -have already been cut off relief and the Relief Project Workers’ union is now conducting a registration preparatory to launching its cam- paign. Urges Publie Works Program CRANBROOK, BC. —immediate inauguration of a public works program is urged in a resolution sent to Premier T. D. Pattullo by Granbrook Unemployed Association this week. States the resolution: “The in- > creased cost of living demands a corresponding increase in relief | allowances and the right of relief | workers to extra work and wages to maintain a standard of de cency must be upheld by our | gevernment, j “Tmmediate inauguration of a public works program is impera- tive.” Cuba Spurns ‘Chang Regime t | HAVANA, Cuba. — Secretary of ‘State Dr. Miguel Angel Campa {Stated last week that the Cuban (government will continue to rec- Ognize the legitimate Chinese goy- ernment of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek at Chungking. “We do not intend to recognize the Nanking government of Wang ‘Ching-wei,” Dr. Campa said, “and ‘Iso informed the Chinese minister here several days ago.” © ov’t Relief Slash Takes First Victim The ADVOCA FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND DEMOCRACY VOL. 6. No. 16. Full No. 277. VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1940 ee 2 5 Cente MAYOR TELFORD RAPS OIL COMPROMISE DEAL Companies Denounced For Stand Says Gov’t Would Have Acted Swiftly In Workers’ Strike The Pattullo government’s compromise settlement with oil companies which, through their refusal to accept the goyern- men’s price-fixing order reduc- ing the retail price of gas from 27 to 24 cents, stopped deliv- eries and forced gas stations throughout the province to close this weel, was condemned by Mayor Lyle Telford on to the oil monopoly.’ “While T am pleased that a work- ing agreement has been reached which puts an end to the disloca- tion of our city’s economic life, Tam far from satisfied with that agree- ment,” the mayor told the Advo- cate. “It savors too much of ca- pitulation to the oil monopoly, des- pite the fact that the reduced price of gas is obtained.” Mayor Telford said he intended to continue fighting for an equit- able basis of price-fixing. By the agreement with the oil companies, chief of which are Im- perial, Shell, Standard, Union and Home, price of 25 cents is accepted, the companies and retailers taking a one-cent cut each. Harlier this week, in a statement issued Saturday, in a speech at Royal theatre Sunday, and in tele grams to the federal government, Mayor Telford denounced the oil companies’ refusal to comply with the provincial government's order, despite a supreme court ruling up- holding the validity of price-fixing legislation, as ‘the lowest form of Sabotage.’ “You try a sitdown while the war is On and see where you get off,” he declared at the Royal theatre meeting, stating that he had urged federal authorities to invoke the War Measures act against the com- panies. ISSUES STATEMENT. In his statement issued Saturday the mayor said: “We awakened to another day of the sitdown strike of the oil mon- opoly. The greatest distributor of petroleum products to this city, the oil monopoly, that flaunts the red, white and blue in our faces, still flouts the law. “The decision of the supreme court of Canada is in contempt, not this time by a handzul of half-starved, illclad workmen, but by those who monopolize and control the fluid gold that keeps this modern society on wheels. “Last night Ottawa made an ap- propriate reply to the frantic ef- forts of the oil monopoly to evade the law of the land. The Dominion government referred these patri- otic, law-abiding gentlemen back (Continued on Page 2) See RELIEF Get Suspended Sentences Suspended sentences of one year each were handed down by Justice Robertson at the conclusion of assize court hear- ings Wednesday in the cases of Wilfred A. Robson and C. A. Saunders, officials of the Canadian Labor Defense League, who were convicted April 18 of obstructing a police officer. The men were arrested March 8 while soliciting funds from street railwaymen outside the Bank of Montreal, Prior and Main branch, for the appeal of Douglas Stewart, former busi- hess manager of the Clarion recently sentenced to two years ; imprisonment. i No objections were raised by the Street Railwaymen’s ' union when application for permission to collect was made 4 the CLDL. i} Thursday night as ‘capitulation | ja Scores Tactics SENATOR HENRIK SHIP- STEAD. of .Minnesota who, denouncing extension of the war to Scandinavia, declared that the “Scandinavian coun- tries are the victims of inter- national premacy.” Attack On Workers Hit By PHILIP BOLSOVER LONDON, Eng. — Two hun- dred organizations represent- ing more than one and a half million organized British work ers have sent to the Anti-Fas- cist Relief committee resolu- tions condemning the French government’s attack on the French working class and its imprisonment of 44 Communist deputies. This is only part of the wave of protest sweeping the entire working class movement here. Many other organizations have sent protests directly to the French em- bassy and thousands of persons have attended protest meetings in London and the provinces. The death decrees, the impris- onment of 10,000 French workers, the sentences against the Com- munist deputies, and the suppres- sion of trade union rights, are im- possible for any person to ignore. Many Labor party members have taken due notice of the fact that Justice Minister Albert Serol is a Socialist. It was he who demanded extension of the death decrees, de- claring that “the penalties already operating are insufficient” Among the many trade union councils which have protested is the London council, with 300,000 membership. Among the other union organizations are Derby and Sheffield districts of the Engineers’ union, whose members Man some of the most important arms fac- tories in the country, and 21 branches of the union. The Elec- tricians, Furnishing, Building, Rail- way, Mining and other unions are well represented. Support Striking Australian Miners CUMBERLAND, BC.—Resolution of solidarity with 30,000 striking Australian coalminers was adopted at the May Day meeting held in this coal mining center. City council] declared May Day a civic holiday and virtually the whole town turned out to the meet- ing. Among the speakers was President William Stewart of Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ union fighting for su- in Vancouver, See! 4000 March In May Day Parade Here Repeal Of War Measures Act Is Leading Slogan With the slogan of ‘Safeguard Labor’s Rights; Repeal the War Measures Act’ prominently dis- played on its banners and tags bearing similar slogans flutter- ing from the lapel of every marcher, WVancouver’s tradi- tional May Day parade swung off Cambie street grounds in its march to Lumbermen’s Arch in Stanley park with an estimated 4000 people in the various con- tingents. Colorful floats entered by vari- ous unions and organizatons | bore slogans relative to a partic cular industry or activity, while predominant throughout the par- ade were slogans of ‘No Gon- seription of Our Youth’ and ‘Re- peal the War Measures Act’ Led by the CCF band, the parade moved down Cambie street shortly after 1:30, marshalled by members of the Relief Project Workers’ union, Hotel and Restaurant Employ- ees’ union entered two floats car- rying slogans ‘Organize the Un- organized’ and ‘Patronize Union Restaurants. The RPWU float showing the need for a works pro- gram as the only solution to un- employment tied in with House- wives League floats, one a large car showing the consumer’s dollar last August while a smaller car depicted the dollar today in rela- tion to increased living costs. United Fishermen’s Union float of a boat mounted on wheels bore slogans of ‘Inadequate Protection Drowns Our Fishermen’ and ‘Red ape Drowns Our Efforts’ This en- try was awarded second prize. Canadian Labor Defense League depicted effects of the War Mea- sures Act on its float by citing the number of persons arrested under its regulations and listing a number of well-known publications which have been banned. Canada’s number one problem— unemployment—stood out in bold relief with the unemployed forming the largest section of the parade. CHINESE CONTINGENT. A Chinese contingent from the Chinese Workers’ Protective Asso- Ciation carried slogans of ‘Chinese Werkers Fight for Unity of All Workers’ both in English and Chinese; A youth contingent rode on bi- eycles gaily decorated with slogans reading ‘Youth Opposes Conscrip- tion.’ The Advocate entered a cleverly decorated float in black and white effect, which won honorable men- tion, depicting a cylinder press one Side of which showed the blackout of truth, the other side uncensored news as found in that journal. A slogan urged Defend the People’s Press.’ International Woodworkers of America float bore a slogan in line with recent convention deci- sions of ‘Boost Our Pay a Buck a Day.’ The Communist party, prominent in other parades with its banners, entered a float only, but its pro- Vinejal secretary, Fergus McKean, spoke at the meeting. Groatians and Ukrainians marehed behind banners of their cultural organizations and bring- ing up the rear were the Surrey Workers and Farmers Association andithe Workers Alliance of New Westminster. A) police car bearing city and | (Gontinued on Page 2) | See MAY DAY Finn Volunteers, Swedish Nazi Tried For Arson Murders STOCKHOLM, Sweden. — While Social Democratic lead- ers fled Norway following the swift German occupation, Com- munists, basing their decision on the fact that 95 per cent of the workers remain in the country, have refused to leave, are braving the Nazi terror to lead the workers’ fight in de- fense of their interests, accord- ing to the Osle correspondent of Ny Dag. Norwegian newspapers haye not yet been banned by German au- thorities, but all were required to publish the manifesto issued by the Tascisf puppet government of Major Quisling. Other papers published the manifesto, but not Arbeideren, Communist newspaper, which held back its issue until April 11 rather than comply. Ar- beideren’s first issue following the Nazi invasion created a sensation in Oslo and special editions were required tO meet the public de- mand. Because their staffs were absent, Social Democratic papers failed to publish. Qn Communist initiative, the the trade union leaders who had gone into refuge returned to their posts and workers’ . organizations resumed their work. The Communst party of Nor- way issued a manifesto condemn- ing spread of the European war workers to maintain their organ- izations in defense of their living to Scandinavia, calling upon standards and for ultimate achievement of independence and freedom. STOCKHOLM, Sweden. — Facing trial here in a ‘political murder’ case which is attract- ing wide attention throughout Sweden are a captain and sey- eral non-commissioned Swed- ish army officers, one of them a member of the Nazi party, a police chief, a newspaperman, i They are charged with having: in March planned and carried out an arson plot against Norrskens- flamman, a Communist newspaper Published at Dulea in northern Sweden, as a result of which five people were killed. Among those who died when fire destroyed the newspaper building following an explosion was Editor Arthur Hell- berg, central committee member of the Swedish Communist party. _Those arrested and now facing trial in¢ludé Captain Uno Svan- bom, who is reported to have con- fessed that he planned the fire with Gunnar Gadenstrom, a news- Paperman. Also under arrest is former Police Chief Ebbe Hallberg of Lulea. Of the non-commissioned of- ficers arrested, three went to Finland with Swedish volun- teers, while a fourth is a mem- ber of the Swedish Nazi party. Following the fire, Hilding Hags- berg, Communist deputy, demand- ed a parliamentary investigation of what Ny Dag, Stockholm Gommun- ist newspaper, branded as “politic- al murder,’ The fire, declared Ny Dag, was “the continuation of the unbrid- led campaign which led to the re— moval of the Communists from leading posts held by them in the trade unions and other organiza- tions, to their being driven out of the factories, and to the Commun- ist press being deprived of the freedom of the press which has existed for 120 years,” OUR READERS APPEAL FOR THE PRESS DRIVE Ww only two weeks left and the drive for our $3500 sustaining fund less than half fulfilled we had in- tended to fill this space with our own urgent appeal to all committees and individual supporters to intensify their efforts. Instead, we have decided to let our readers appeal for us, confident that there is not one of our supporters who values the Advocate less than these miners, fishermen, and loggers, excerpts from whose letters we print. “It is our paper. It speaks for us. I have been a sub- scriber since 1935 and I have never had any reason to doubt that it represents the workers’ best interests,” says a vet- eran supporter of the labor movement in Victoria. A prospector at Wells tells us: “I am going out washing gold for a few weeks in order to raise my pledge and have a little extra to travel on to extend the influence of the Advocate.” From Quathiaski Cove a fisherman sends “two scaly fish dollars where they will bring the greatest possible return.” “Believe it or not this is the first spare dollar I’ve had since last September,” writes an Okanagan reader. And from Redonda Bay a man whose whole life has been spent in the labor movement—he was blacklisted for strike activity in Sweden in 1909—asks us to “send a few sub blanks so I can build up your fearless paper here.” An Appledale reader includes a note of advice to other readers with his donation. “I am on relief and get $16 a month for myself and my wife,” says he. “I do as much as I can and if all other readers would do the same, reaction would be chased away.” We believe that the appeal our readers make for us, their ready sacrifices, will inspire all our supporters to renewed efforts in the drive to obtain the $3500 essential to our continued publication. Time is a vital factor — and the time to strengthen the people’s press, to defeat the threatened blackout, is NOW. i Pian te ire