1 F The only way the labor novement can make sure of faving a strong. voice at the veace table is by uniting forces tow to play a decisive role in ymning the war. This was the ominant theme of the speech —his first in this city in five ‘ears—made by Tim Buck, na- ional secretary of the Com- iunist-Labor Total War Gommit- ze, to the capacity audiences to- ailing nearly 6,000 people which rowded the Orpheum and Gapitol meaters to hear him Sunday ight. | “This is a people’s war, not only ecause of the issues in it, but also Scause the people themselves are srsonally involved in winnine it,” uck declared. “The thing that tatters mnOw is winning the war. is useless to talk about after 1e war, unless we concentrate on inning it first. Every man is in- dived because the war can only > Won if we are all involved.” “That side will win which can 2st unite its people to wage war,” uck said, stating that we have not 2t besun te mobilize our demo- satic machinery to the extent to hich free people can mobilize 1emselves to defend their freedom. Dealing with many widely dis- issed questions, Tim Buck re- arked that it was time now to .nSider what will come after the ar is won “because we do not ‘tend to lose it. When our boys come back rom Europe they will have earn- sd their right to have a voice n the making of the peace,” he aid. “Dhey will have no inten- ion of going back to 1939. And he people of the United Nations ‘will have no intention of allow- ng these boys to be forced back o such things. We will be deter- nined that we are not going to tart waging another war in mother 25 years.’ People have now lived through m years of crisis, he said. They ave realized now that they were ctims of a campaign of lies about ie Soviet Union, all part of a cam- iuign to .prevent- people of the ‘mocracies from uniting against scist aggression, they have learn- | that what the Soviet people were jing for 25 years has been ‘right id good’ and because of what they id done, they were able to hold -alinsrad—‘the gate of democracy’ for us. People have learned, Buck con- hued, that the reason Hitler was t able to tear down the Russian ig from Moscow was not due to e fabled “Russian spirit” but -to e fact that the Soviet people were jited. In fact, even United States’ ice-President Henry Wallace de- ared that they “are fighting for methine dearer than life itself.” ritish Example Quoting figures from WBritish abor Minister Ernest Bevin, Buck yinted out that in Britain, where bor has been given a greater re- sonSibility and share in winning © War, production ‘man for man’ greater there than in the United ates, despite the fact that a great irt of British production equip- ent is obsolete. An example, he said, was the re- John Stanton Barrister, Solicitor, Notary 503 Holden Bidg. i6 EK. Hastings St. MAr. 5746 J) Six Thousand People Hear Tim Buck ‘Labor's Effort In War Will Determine Voice In Peace’ Buek Tim -. . Hither we defeat Hitler under capitalist governments or we won’t defeat him at all. cent coal crisis in Britain, where, instead of mine-owners being call- ed in, as would have been the case before the war, Prime Minister Winston Churchill called in the miners themselves and put the problem before them. The result was a pledge to in- crease production by 11 percent, to produce more than 16 million tons between December 1 and March 31, although less. miners Were available, and none could be released from the army. “There,” he said, “labor has ad- vanced to the position where it has a voice inthe organization of pro- duction, and by this, also a voice in production policies.” In Canada, Buck Stated, there are still employers who refuse to let labor have a voice in the adminis tration of production, who provoke strikes and keep production down sooner than let labor organize. Hamilton Bridge was an example of this very same policy, he said. “Here the management is so de termined to fight against the trade union movement that it doesn’t care if we win the war or not. If they can’t have their way, then they will close the plant down.” Win War First Referring to the objection raised by many to cooperation with capi- talism for an all-out war effort while they continue to make huge profits, Tim Buck declared: “Wistory did not ask the British miners if they wanted to see the boss make more profits. History only asked if they wanted to de- feat Hitler. They will help defeat Hitler and deal with their boss afterwards.” Declaring that he didn’t like to see companies reaping huge profits any more than the rest, Buck point- ed out that “we must fight to keep profits down to avery modest amount. No man has the right to get rich out of the sacrifices of our people. Four percent of gross profits—not net—was sufficient, he felt and the scheme of returning 20 percent after the war should be abolished. “All these things will be done,” he declared, “if the labor movement is sufficiently united so that its voice is sufficiently strong.” “We are living under capitalism. Hither we shall defeat Hitler under capitalist governments, or DR. W. J. CURRY DENTIST 207 West Hastings Street Tel. PAc. 1526 © —s won't defeat him at all, he will defeat us. If we wait until we have socialism we will never have total war. Hitler and Japan are not going to give us time to get socialism.” “The capitalist class would soon- er lose the’ war than see socialism. We can change this form of govern- ment for something we want more after Hitler is defeated.’ Offensive Now Recapitulatinge the facts of the German advance during the first years of the war, Buck pointed to the first change in strategy caused by the failure of German panzer divisions to break through the Red Army lines, the defense put up by the people of Stalingrad when they realized that they had to hold until the western allies had mobilized their forces for the North African thrust. “The great offensive now in progress,” said Buck, “is the be- ginning of what is going to be possible when a real ‘coalition’ offensive opens, when the troops of the United Nations will be hit- ting Hitler as they judge neces- Sary, with heavier metal than he has to hit back. This will-be the beginning of the end of the Axis forces. But . . . we have not yet met the big test.’ Buck explained that only two per- cent of Hitler’s forces had met the allied forces in North Africa, which showed it was only a preliminary bout, since fascist Germany has about 800,000,000 people under its controll, vast natural resources in Europe, industries and agriculture, in addition to well equippéd armies. “This time we are really fighting for something worth while,’ de- clared Buck. “While Hitler has united the people at the point of a bayonet, in the democracies, even now, Our people are only just begin- ning to develop their power and to discover the possibilities of waging War in a united democratic manner. When our boys cross the chan- nel, they will have as allies one hundred million people who are just waiting for arms to be plac- ed in their hands to turn against Hitler.” Issue Clear “The issue of the war today stands clear,” said Buck, stating that many noted people, including Wendell Willkie, Vice-President Wallace, President Roosevelt, and Soviet Premier Stalin had said that the central issue to be determined by this war was “that we and our Allies in the United Nations do not seek and must not seel to impose our form of government on anybody. The central issue will jbe to free the nations who have been conquered by Nazi forces, and allow these nations to live in their own land and rule it as they choose. From this point of view we must say it is a people’s war in which the future of mankind is involved.” Mentioning the fact that his son was now in the Royal Canadian Air Foree, Tim Buck also paid tribute to the son of another well-known labor leader, Tom Ewen. Jim Ewen, Tom’s youngest son, fought fascism in Spain, and he was now going to fight fascism in Europe, Buck re- marked, = Referring to the tremendous ad- miration felt all over the world for the heroic defense of Stalingrad, Buck quoted a story allegedly em- anating from Germany. Goebbels was trying to explain to the German people why the Nazi army had not yet defeated Stalin- | grad. “The Russians have built a |huge wall round the city, and we are having difficulty getting over it,’ Goebbels said. | In reply, A. Lozovsky, Soviet trade union leader, told the Ger- man people short wave broadcast: “Yes, it’s quite true, we are build- ing 2a wall around Stalingrad We haven't finished building it yet, and it isn’t made of bricks: It is made of German dead.” Turning Point Introduced by Chairman Charles Stewart, Fergus McKean, provin- cial secretary of the Communist- Labor Total War Committee, first speaker at the Orpheum theater, recalled his Jast speech in the theater on November 7, anniversary of the Russian Revolution, when he remarked that this date might become known as the turning point of the war against the Axis powers. “Developments since that time, I believe, show that this is poss- ible, that this can and will be the turning point of the war. The initiative now rests in the hands of the United WNations. It shows that they now intene to take the offensive on a big scale and end the war as quickly as possible.” Pointing out that the action in Worth Africa and the smashing offensive which the Red Army has consequently peen able to unleash has strengthened the unity between the capitalist nations, Great Britain and the United States, and their Soviet ally, McKean declared that “jf is essential that this unity should continue after the war for a set- tlement of the peace.” National Unity Qur task in Canada, McKean felt, was to make our utmost contribu- tion to the defeat of Hitler, be- cause “the destruction of fascism will also be smashing the back- bone of world reaction in all coun- tries.” “The first thing,” McKean said, “is a united people. It is necessary | Over a Fergus McKean . .. labor in B.C. will set a record in production second to none in Canada. that we have unity of all classes in order to have a total war effort. Unity in the ranks of labor will be the most effective contribution to this.” “Our slogan should be ‘Every- thing for the Offensive,’ and for this full national unity of the people must be obtained,’ McKean de clared, criticising the policy of the Canadian government towards labor, and proposing that a proper manpower policy must be adopted, So that the armed Forces overseas can have ample supplies for a suc- eessful offensive. - set a record for production second to none in Canada, if the forces of labor in this province will further unite to step up production.” Allies Stronger United action in the North Afri- can offensive proves that the Unit- ed WNations alliance is growing stronger, Maurice Rush, organizer for the Communist-Labor Total War Committee in Vancouver, maintain- ed when he spoke at the Capital Theater Sunday night, preceding Tim Buck. He pointed out that Jo- seph Stalin had said the North African offensive was the answer to those cynics who believed the leaders of the United Nations neith- er capable nor willing to undertake offensive action. Summing up MHitler’s predica- ment, Rush said German-controlled Europe was now completely sur- rounded, and inside Europe Hitler was attempting to control a volcano, liable to erupt at any time. Italy, he added, is about to become a war theater, and can quickly be knocked out of the war. Hitler and his satellites are no longer confi- dent, boastful. Their words reflect their fear now that the initiative has been wrested from them. By clearing North Africa of Hit- ler’s forces and establishing a base for the United Wations, the pre- requisites have been created for large-scale invasion, he declared. Labor Unity Speaking of the need for labor unity, Rush said differences be- tween the CCE and Communists were not today the major question. “On the major issue of winning the war against Hitlerism there are no differences. We must lick Hitler, and to that end and with that pur- pose trade unions, CCF and Com- munists must unite.” Rush pointed to the banner call- ing for “More ships—planes—guns for the offensive,’ and said that Canada’s role as a producer of war materials and her power to equip fighting forces had brought her to fourth place in war production. He scored employers who are still more concerned with the fight against labor than against Hitler, and termed their attitude “as out- moded as the spinning wheel.” He instanced the recent Hamilton Bridge walkout as a direct result of the attitude of an anti-labor eompany which is still thinking in terms of 50 years back. Responding enthusiastically to an appeal from Tim Buck for funds for the Committee to carry on the work for total war, audiences in the two theaters contributed over $2,200 in donations of 50 cents te $15, from soldiers, sailors, airmen, warworkers, housewives, all giving their bit towards a total war to defeat fascism. Will Continue To Negotiate NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — There were no abstainers and no spoiled ballots when a vote was taken among employees of Mohawk Lumber Company here recently on 20 clauses of an agreement now being negotiated between the Inter- national Woodworkers of America and the company through concilia— tion Commissioner James Thompson. Employees voted 161 for and five against acceptance of the 20 clauses on which agreement has already been reached and 163 for and three against continuation of negotiations on the eight clauses of the agree- ment still in dispute. A production committee recently established reports that production is down 50,000 feet a day, due to loss of skilled workers and poor logs. Every effort will be made, the com- mittee asserts, to bring production “Tf feel that labor in B:C. will yet back to its former level.