FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND DEMOCRACY VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1940 LSE ®@ 5 Cents LABOR LEADERS MANEUVER ‘Conference Will Have Big Bearing On Expected Decision LONDON, England.—For months past the possibility of Labor leaders entering the govern- | ment has been discussed in the press and po- )| litical circles generally. And there is no doubt that the move has also been discussed from every angle at Transport House. The question > is not one of the willingness of certain Labor leaders to enter the cabinet. Rather, it is a question of the composition of that cabinet, its RSS e renenneaunanireematnessipeenen 3: | leadership, the appropriate time to enter, and the effect of such a move upon the Labor party’s membership. The political truce which has been in effect since the be- ‘Sinning of the war by mutual agreement of Conservative, Lib- feral and Labor leaders has reduced the Labor ‘opposition’ to a ‘position of critical concurrence in the Chamberlain govern- moent’s policies. Indeed, the Labor party has been responsible | “for advancing proposals for conduct of the war later adopted by the government. Thus, for instance, it was Dr. Hugh Dalton who helped to create the ‘atmosphere’ for extension of the war ‘im which the parliamentary debate was held on March 19. (Effect On Membership All this has had a marked effect on the Labor party’s rank Bnd file members and the revolt among local Labor parties op- posed to the political truce has srown steadily. Anti-war resolu- ‘tions have been passed by divisional Labor parties. Some local “labor leaders have resigned from the party to join the Com- ‘munist party. Any move on the part of Clement Attlee, Arthur Green- wood, Sir Walter Citrine and Herbert Morrison to enter the cabinet, while it would temporarily aid in winning mass sup- ‘port for the government’s policies, would also intensify the / opposition within the party. ; According to the Week, London newsletter, Ernest Bevin and his supporters had planned to demand ending of the po- Titieal truce at the Labor party’s Whitsun conference at Bourne- ‘mouth. Said the Week in its issue of April 24: ' “When, however, Atlee and Greenwood saw Chamberlain limmediately following the extension of the war to Scandinavia, Chamberlain questioned them on the rumors regarding the possible Bournemouth vote against continuing the political truce. “Tt was pointed out that such a vote now would be tanta- Mount to a much more serious political defeat for the govern- ment, even than, for instance, a large anti-war vote rolled up it some by-election. It would be regarded as a matter of deepest “gravity.” The Week continued: “Thus armed, Atlee and Greenwood—who are longing to enter the government anyway—returned to confront subse- quently Bevin and company. After what are reported to have been prolonged cogitations and discussions, the impression was gained—one cannot say more—that Bevin was impressed by the (Continued on Page Two) Unions Condemn Sales Tax LONDON, England. — From Scotland and Wales last week came organized labor’s protest against the new sales tax announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir John Simon in presenting the new budget. The Scottish Trades Union council at Aberdeen voted unanimously to protest against the proposed tax. The coun- il urged a ‘capital levy’ as an alternative means of obtaining evenue. At Cardiff the South Wales Miners’ conference adopted a olution condemning the sales tax as a “vicious extension f indirect taxation” which “would involve taxation on al- nost every article in working-class homes.” : TO ENTER BRITISH CABINET TradeUnion Conference Proposed Initiative Will Be Taken By IWA In Issuing Call Invitation to all CIO and AFL to be represented at a conference on trade union questions which will be held in Vancouver on June 15 will be Sent out by International Woodworkers’ union here with- in the next few days, according to IWA District Secretary Nigel Morgan. While no meeting hall has yet been named it is expected that the conference will be held in the | Holden building, 16 Hast Hastings street. The conference, according to Morgan, will endeavor to establish a labor council to coordinate or- Sanizational efforts and lay the basis for a legislative program. This step is considered necessary by the IWA leaders since AFL of- ficials have ousted CIO unions from Vancouver Trades and Labor council. TORONTO, Ont—(CUN) — Delegates representing more than 1,000 members of the Ca- nadian Shoe Workers’ union and Allied Crafts decided in annual convention this week to affiliate with the ACCL, pro- vided that organization and the Canadian CIO proceeds with their plans to form a new labor organ- ization in the Dominion this sum- mer, Wifty delegates from Toronto, London, Galt and Preston elected William Albright president of the organization. George Florence Was named vice-president and W. Painter, secretary-treasurer. The convention condemned by resolution the attempt made by Baker and Sporn Shoe company nearly 100 shoe workers has been in progress for a month, to smash the union through use of strike- breakers. Business Agent John Marshall reported that the com- pany had offered to take back 30 workers, but that this had been re- jected. Describing the disgraceful con- ditions in the plant, Marshall charged that an employe with 30 years’ experience averaged 21 cents an hour; a youth with two years’ experience was paid $7.50 a week; married men were earning as low as $12 weekly. Wages paid in the plant were lower than those paid even under the Quebec code, it was charged. Trial Opems At Ottawa OTTAWA, Ont—Trial of Harry Binder, former parliamentary cor- respondent of the Daily Clarion, his brother Louis Binder and Arthur Saunders, a cvil servant, opened here this week. The three men are charged under the War Measures Act with print- ing and distributing Communist election material containing anti- war statements. Unsuceessful efforis were made by CLD, defense counsel to se- cure postponement of the trial on the ground that the War Meas- ures Act is unconstitutional and that the forthcoming session of parliament may decide to amend the act with /consequent bearing on the trial. Deputies Sent To Islands PARIS, France.—More than 200 leaders of the outlawed French Communist party, including many unseated deputies and mayors, have been interned on islands off the west coast of France. Last week one group of 125 deputies and mayors embarked at Fromentine for the Me d’Yeu where they will be imprisoned in Pierre Levee fort. Another group of 80 has been sent to the He de Noirmoutier. Among those sent to the islands were Deputies Jean Duclos and Robert Phillipot. Appeals of Communist deputies against sentences imposed by a military tribunal in secret trial have been rejected by the military court of appeals. Union Delegates Unseated President’s Decision Draws Angry Protest Indignation of Vancouver Trades and Labor council dele- gates at President E. A. Jamieson’s undemocratic conduct of recent meetings found strong expression at last Tuesday’s semi-monthly meeting of that body, when three delegates were unseated on the ground that they were Communists. To prevent a vote on a non- confidence motion in himself, arising out of his action in sus- pending the April 16 council meeting without consent of a council executive meeting, the president, giving no reason, re- fused to entertain the motion and abruptly adjourmed the stormy meeting. Delegates Charles M. Stewart, Street Railwaymen’s union, divi- Sion 101 and executive board mem- ber of the council; John Maley of Printing Pressmen’s union, and E. E. Leary of Shipyard Laborers’ un- ion, local 126, were unseated by Jamieson, who asserted that he had received a petition naming those delegates as Communists. Following the announcement Leary asked his union executive members to leave the hall. This action was greeted with cheers by a large number of delegates. Three unions announced sever- ing of their affiliation in letters to council, They were: Stereotyp- ers and Hlectrotypers union, lo- cal 88; Sheet Metal Workers’ un- ion, local 314; and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen ,lodge 58. However, Secretary Bengough was formally instructed to take steps te urge reconsideration of their actions upon them, as use- ful, if only for the record. Bricklayers and Masons and Civic Employees’ unions protested ex- pulsions, but the latter union’s let- ter was not read out. Maley, protesting the ouster, stated he had never mentioned Gommunists in the council, but he was ruled out by Jamieson, who in- formed him he was not a delegate. “All right,” said Maley, “my union will have sometning to say about that.” William Stewart, of Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ union, be- came engaged in a verbal duel with Jamieson when he endeavored to open a way for the unseated dele- gates to make statements, chal- lenging the president on the ground that he lacked authority to expel delegates whose unions’ decision on the referendum had been rejected by the serutininzing committee. “T want to draw your attention,” Stewart began. “You can’t draw my attention to anything,” curtly retorted Jamie- (Continued on Page Two) See COUNCL. Chinese Seamen Win Walkout In Sydney SYDNEY, Australia——(By Mail)—Nearly 400 Chinese sea- men who walked off a ship here over Easter weekend in protest against low pay and poor food conditions won their demands when the Canadian shipowners agreed to pay a war bonus of $2 a month, to pay wages in Canadian dollars and to improve food conditions. The vessel’s entire Chinese crew] were unable to act before reaching of 390 men walked off after hold- ing a meeting aboard ship to de- termine what action should be taken to enforce their demands. It was stated that they had been signed on in Vancouver at $50 Chinese ga month which, at the prevailing rate of exchange, was approximately $7 a month less than the $25 Canadian paid to the Chinese crew of another vessel Owned by the same company in Sydney harbor at the time. Meat supplies) it was charged, were insufficient and often unfit for consumpticn, the crew's dict consisting in the main of rice, cab- bage and catfish, Discontent with conditions be- came open when a Chinese seaman died at an Asiatic port without au- thorities notifying other crew members, but, apart from present- ing their grievances to the captain, who refused to hear them, they Sydney. Under the eyes of a police squad rushed to the dock, the Chinese held mass meetings on the dock, while a delegation of six waited on Chinese Consul- General Dr. Pao. The 320 mem- bers of the Chinese crew of the other ship in dock here express- ed their readiness to walk out in Sympathy if necessary. After Australian union leaders, headed by Secretary Bill Daley of the Seamen’s Union of Australasia had made representations on their behalf, the Chiense crew, all of whom had gone eight hours with- out food and some 24 hours, agreed to return on a promise that de- mands would be cabled to the ves- sel’s owners in Canada, Two days later the Chinese con- Sul Was notified that the demands had been granted. Threat To Dutch East Indies Seen ‘Protective Custody’ Move Might Open New War Theater NEW YORK, NY. — Danger that, consequent upon the Nazi invasion of Holland, the war may spread to the Pacific with the vich Dutch East Indies as the focal point of the conflict was seen here Friday. The Japanese government, through its foreign minister, has already intimated that it considers the Dutch colonies within Japan’s sphere of in- terest and is not prepared to see any other interested major power —the United States or Britain—establish a “protective custody’ over the islands, occu- pation of which would, to a large extent, free Japan from dependence upon the United States for supply of essential war materials and enable her to proceed more readily with her imperialist war against China. To Japan’s statement on the Dutch East Indies in the event of extension of the war to Hol- land —a possibility which has now become a reality — the United States replied, in effect with a ‘hands off’ warning. This week the US fleet, hav- ing completed far-flung man- euvers in the Pacific, was ordered to remain at Hawaii instead of returning to its west coast bases. Australian and New Zealand governments have also ex- pressed their interest in devel- opments affecting the Dutch East Indies. Australia exer- cises mandate control over British New Guinea, the other half of the large island off Australia’s northern coast, Dutch New Guinea, forming part of the Dutch East Indian colonial empire. The Netherlands govern- ment, before the Nazi invasion, warned that it did not want ‘protective custody by any power, said all preparations, military and administrative, had been made to enable the Dutch East Indies colonial Sov- ernment to continue inde- pendently in the event of Hol- land becoming involved in the war. Leaves For Civil Liberties Meet G. F. Halvorsen, representing the Canadian Labor Defense League, BC district, left this week for Montreal to attend the Conference for Civil Liberty in Wartime, which opens its two-day session in Mount Royal hotel May 18. At a CLDL local delegate coun- cil meeting held in Vancouver Tuesday Halvorsen was selected to attend the conference, which is Sponsored by seven national organi- zations on the initiative of the Ca- nadian Civil Liberties union. All district CLDL organizations will be represented to participate in the conference, according to Dis- trict Secretary George Drayton.