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Fergus McKean Addresses First Provincial Communist-Labor Conference

‘Total War Requires A United People’

“We are assembled at a time when the most momentous de-
cisions and actions on the part of the leaders and armed forces
of the United Nations are about to be made; decisions and
actions which, we are confident, can and will lead to the crush-
ing defeat of German fascism and its satellites on the continent
of Burope in 1943,” stated Fergus McKean, provincial secretary
of the Communist-Labor Total War Committee, at its first
provincial conference here last week, called to “adopt a program
designed to more fully mobilize the resources and manpower
of British Columbia for total war.” Attended by more than
100 delegates from all parts of the province, the Conference
among many resolutions went on record in favor of lifting the
ban on the Communist Party and other outlawed working-class
organizations, and urged immediate release of Mahatma Gandhi

in the interests of Indian national unity.

“We are proud of the assertion ope, and pave the way for a post-
of General McNaughton that the | ~war world in which the peoples
fighting sons of Canada will spear | of Canada and of all countries
head the invasion which may will be able to democratically de-

launched within a matter ar | cide their own destiny and insti-
weeks,” stated McKean in his re-, tute those social changes which
port. they desire.

“Flowever, we must not overlook; ‘It is now recognized that just as

the North African offensive was
made possible by the unparalleled
| tenacious defense of Stalingrad, so

the fact that large scale offensive
action on the part of the armed
forces of our nation places new,
German

and greater responsibilities, not
only on our government, but on the
Canadian people as a whole. All
ef us must share in the responsi-
bility of seeing to it that once the
offensive is launched, our troops
lack for nothing in the way of
equipment, supplies and reserves
necessary to carry the offensive
through to a victorious contlusion.

“4 conclusion that will utterly
destroy the backbone of world
reaction, German fascism, liber-
ate the enslaved peoples of Eur-

the engagement of crack
divisions and air power by the Al-
lied forces in Tunisia has contrib-
uted even though in a small way
to the spectacular offensive of the
Red Army in southern Russia. Con-
trary to the forecasts of the skep-
ties, appeasers, and outright pro-

fascists, the Anglo-Soviet-American
coalition has not been weakened,
but sirengthened and I am confi-
dent will continue to grow stronger.
I am sure all Canadians welcomed

the decisions of the

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conference of Premier Churchill
and President Roosevelt, where it
was decided to carry through of-
fensive action in cooperation with
the USSR and China until uncondi-
tional surrender of the Axis pow-
ers is realized. The subsequent
declaration of President Roosevelt,
that while taking the offensive in
Europe, there shall not be any
slackening in the struggle against

comed by Canadians. generally, but
particularly by the people of B.C.

“With the completion of the
chain of air bases from Edmonton
to Fairbanks, and the completion
in record time of the Alean High-
way, which also binds the airports
together, the strategic defensive
position of B.C. has been materially
improved, although this does not.
mean that all danger of attack has

been removed.
se s s

“The Alcan Highway is of pro-
found importance, not only in a
military and economic sense, but
also in a political sense. It com-
bines a highway and airway link-
ing Canada, Alaska and the Soviet
Union. In a military sense, it is
of the utmost strategic importance
for the defense of Alaska and Brit-
ish Columbia. In addition to that,
however, the highway constitutes
a new route of supply to the Soviet
Union. The completion of the high-j
way and the air ports which it con-|
nects, enables Canada to give!
greater attention to the main task
at hand, the crushing of Hitler’s
armies in Europe during 1943. The
“impossible” yictories of the Red |
Army at Stalingrad, Leningrad, |
Kursk, Rostov, and now, the cap-|
ture of the main German base in
southern Russia, Kharkov, has
radically altered the relationship
of military forces in Burope. If
the Anglo-American forces can
launch the second front in Western
Burope while the Red Army is still
advancing, and the fascist forces
are still disorganized, the length
of the war can be greatly short-
ened, provided an overwhelming
superiority of men and material
can be obtained once the second
front is launched.

A total war effort
requires first of all, centralized
planning, contrel and mobilization
of the entire economic life of a
country, but to be successful, such
a plan also requires the democratic
participation of the entire people in
the war effort, giving full scope to
the individual initiative of every
worker within the broad outline
of the general plan.

“There is no question but that
Canada’s contribution to the war
effort of the united nations has
been an impressive one, particu-
larly in the production field.

“Today Canada ranks second
only to the major powers, Great
Britain, USSR, and the United
States ,in its contribution to the
cause of the United Nations.

e e e

“The fact remains, however, that
our Dominion has not as yet at-
tained the total war effort of which
her people are capable.

Japan in the Pacific, will be wel-|

people united in conscious, willing
support of a total war effort. Such
a national unity cannot simply be
achieved by order-in-council, but
requires the democratic participa-
tion of the whole people in eco-
nomic-planning and the adoption of
government policies through the
medium of their own democratic
organizations; in other words,
secure Maximum production.

"These shortcomings in govern-
ment policies, which retard a max-
imum contribution to our war ef-
fort, will not be overcome by idle
wishes, but only through construc-
tive criticism conducted in an or-
ganized fashion through the demo-
cratic organizations of the working
people by means of organized pol-
itical action. This places a particu-
lar responsibility on the politically
conscious elements among farm-
ers and labor to educate and or-
ganize to secure the necessary cor-
rective measures.

“British Columbia’s natural re-
sources and ‘basic industries are of
such a character as to be of vital
importance to our country’s war
effort.

“The chief responsibility of the
B.C. government at the present
time is to assist in mobilizing the
resources, industry and manpower
of the province in order to obtain
a maximum contribution from B.C.
towards the nation’s war effort
and to press for federal measures
that will facilitate that aim.

“The proposal for establishment
of a steel mill in B.C. should be
considered not only as a post-war
measure, but as a means of fur-
;ther strengthening B.C. economy
now, in the interests of war pro-
duction and relieving an over-taxed
transportation system of the
senseless waste of labor power in-
volved in shipping B.C. scrap clear
across the continent to be smelted
and then hauled back again for
use in B.C. industry.

“The proposals to assist in es-
tablishing flax growing in the
Fraser Valley in line with the pol-
icy of the federal department of
agriculture, is to be welcomed but
it is regrettable that no reference
has been made foreshadowing any
assistance to other sections of the
farming population, who are try-
ing to produce food for victory
under the most disheartening con-
ditions. In many instances prices
of farm produce have been pegged
at levels below production costs
and many farmers have been un-
able to get the necessary labor.

r) e e

“Some of the concrete measures
which should be immediately in-
stituted are:

@ Government guaranteed pro-
duction costs to the farmer.

e Interest-free loans to farmers
in order to increase acreage
and provide facilities for in-
ereased livestock.

@ Create a woman’s land army
to relieve labor shortages.

@ Mobilize students and non-
essential workers for farm

“Total war requires a united

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@ Render assistance to thr |
ers in organizing and st jj
ening their cooperative |
farmers’ associations.

"Because of the charac j
B.C.’s resources our econor }
in the main -been based |
extraction and processing |
materials. This fact has len |
to the development of a hij
gree of monopoly control
basic industries and a high -j§
of organization of employe
sociations. In addition to th |
adian Manufacturers’ Asso
there are such organizations
B.G. Goggers’ Association, thi
ber and Shingle Manutany
Association, the Fish Canne |
erating Committee, the Ming |
ers’ Association, the Shippin j
eration and more recent!
Shipbuilders’ Federation. Si”
these industries and their.
tive Employers’ Associatio |
dominated by three of four
ful corporations which wiel
mous influence. While the
sociations undoubtedly servi |
means of securing marke
dealing with pertinent issue |
legitimate character perenne
their respective industries tk |
remains, one of their main |
tions has been to combat ar |
vent trade union organizat ~
the basic industries of the |
ince.
“This anti-trade union pol;
the employers’ associations —
constitutes one of the chi =
stacles to labor partnership
war effort, and consequently ~
as a retarding influence
creasing war production. ;
“The aim of joint proc”
committees is to provide a m=
through which labor may ~
organized and dignified fash
the basis of equality, share £
sponsibility with manageme
Yncreasing production in =
Canada’s war effort Im
words, to acquire the stat
labor partnership in the Ww
fort instead of an employ
ployee relationship under
labor has no yoice nor recoy
in dealing with production”
lems. 2

“However, the problem of F
tion is not merely a technic:
True, one of the tasks of
duction committee is to in
technique to acquire more ef
and economical methods 04:
duction, but this is not al
main problem in production
develop the widest initiativ
wholehearted cooperation of
individual worker in imp
production methods. In other
it is largely a question of pn

“One of the main retardi
fluences to the establishme
production committees in B.
been the inability of the w
in several industries to secure
union recognition even whe
percent organization exists

After stressing the needs
curing amendments to the
act and reviewing the pr
confronting provincial abi
basic B.C. industries, McKea
lined the changes needed ir
ada’s farm, _manpower and
policies.

“The extent to which the
movement is successful in z
ing these measures, and &
tent to which the working
become integrated in the ef
win the war,” the report con
“to that extent they will as
deciding the type of pe
world we shall have and th
of social progress which w

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