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THE PEOPLE

Published every Wednesday by The People Publiching Co., Room 104, Shelly Building,
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MANAGING ‘EDITOR  ..2-.221---ceeesoeee-doweeee Av Parkoy
Business MANAGER ..........-.. Mmyerva Coorer

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Block The Appeasers!

‘fe campaign of slander and innuendo against the Soviet
Union, touched off at the beginning of the year by the
Goebbels propaganda machine and given impetus by US Am-
bassador Standley’s provocative remarks in Moscow recently,
is being carried forward on all fronts by a small but ex-
tremely vocal group of reactionaries and appeasers in both
Canada and United States.

The danger from this lies in the fact that failure by the
governments of the major United Nations countries to clarify
their war policies, particularly in respect to the opening of a
second front, gives the appeasement elements opportunity
to develop their quisling policies and to gain new recruits
from quarters that might otherwise be fearful of openly at-
tacking the Soviets.

This is indicated quite sharply by the tone of editorials _

and articles in certain Canadian and American newspapers
and magazines in recent weeks. There is a very noticeable
attempt to resurrect the old and criminal policy of building
reactionary buifer states against the Soviet Union, for one
thing. To this argument is tied the many stupid speculations
as to the possible territorial claims that the USSR might make
after the war.

3 e

qe. lengths to which this campaign may be prepared to
go unless checked is shown by an editorial in a current
issue of Collier’s magazine. Once the leading journal of iso-
lationism in the United States, but since Pearl Harbor con-
siderably subdued, the editors have now gained courage from
the anti-Soviet campaign and dare to refer to the land of the
Red Army as a “semi-ally.”

The important thing to remember here, however, is that
while such statements are dangerous in that they tend to
create confusion, they by no means represent a general state
of mind. They are dangerous because they are calculated to
slow up, to obstruct the successful prosecution of the war, and
reflect the deadly fear of the appeasement elemenis of the
results of a genuine people’s war.

°

Eee one thing that can stop such a campaign and effectively
stifle the voices of the appeasers is of course a clear re-
statement of the aims laid down by the Casablanca confer-
ence and a definite assurance of action on these aims. All
the governments of the United Nations, including Canada,
must clarify their position so unequivocally that none of their
branches, representatives or agents anywhere can carry on
disruptive activity under cover of an ambiguous foreign policy.

For it is axiomatic that Canada, United States and Great
Britain cannot win the war without help. They can win only
through joint efforts with the Soviet Union, whose Red Army
has already prepared Hitler for the slaughter. And this coali-
tion can win only if it concentrates its great power immedi-
ately upon defeating Hitlerism in Europe, as a prerequisite
for a collective peace in Europe and complete victory on the

Pacific.

-: €

Al pete long delay in opening the second front, while the Soviet

Union continues to bear the brunt of the Nazi attack,
has presented the anti-Soviet and appeasement forces with the
opportunity to develop their disruptive activities. And the
best test of coalition and of friendship among all the Allies
is the deed—the actual invasion of Europe in unison with the
gigantic heroic efforts of the Red Army.

G

4|Rete present campaign of anti-Soviet slander must not be

permitted to obscure this need. That is why the entire
question of the second front must be raised more sharply than
ever by the labor movement. Some sections of labor have
already taken such steps. More is needed. Every trade union,
every labor group must raise the demand upon the Ottawa
government— ‘Act now!”

Act now, before it is too late to crush Hitler in 1943; act
now, before the appeasement elements in our own country,
grown bold by the failure of the goyernment to take a def-
inite stand, succeed in further strengthening their influence
on government policies and delaying victory for an indefinite
period.

The best argument in time of war is by weapons. Victory

is still possible in 1943. The second front must be opened
now!

Victory Versus Beer

By T. A. McEWEN :

pe Fourth Victory Loan Drive for $1,100,000,000 will begin
this month. It is a high objective—but the stakes are also
high—the slavery of Nazi barbarism or the democracy of free

men,

Without making any long-winded comparisons between the
objective of this Victory Loan with previous ones, just let us
say that Canada will respond as Canada has done to the re-
quired war budgets of the Minister of Finance.

The biggest headache Canada
can give to “Der Feuhrer” dur-
ing the coming weeks is to
put this Fourth Victory Loan
over the top in the shortest pos-
sible time. It is also the best
encouragement we can give to the
men and women in Canada’s
armed forces, to see to it that
the war government of Canada
does not lack the financial sin-
ews wherewith to “finish the
job.”

Se

HERE are some snags in the

way of this Victory Loan
drive which must be cleared away.
The beer issue is one, In shipyards
and other basic war industries
across Canada the artful slogan,
“no beer, no bonds,’ is being
widely publicized. Obviously such
a slogan can only serve one pur-
pose—that of setting the people
of Canada, and particularly work-
ing men and women, against sub-
scribing to the Victory Loan.

Our command of the English
language is not sufficient to ade-
quately describe the stupidity of
government policy in respect to
the sale of beer. It just doesn’t
make sense. To prohibit the oper-
ation of a distillery for other than
manufacturer of industrial alechol
is a legitimate wartime measure
upon which there can-be little ar-
gument. But the beer restriction
just doesn’t click. Warehouses
and breweries are stocked to
capacity. Neither the ingredients
nor the plants for the making of
beer in any way handicap war
production.

And with all due respects to the
advocates of total abstinence and
temperance, there can be no valid
reason advanced to deprive a war-
worker, soldier, sailor, or civilian
of his glass of beer.

The restriction of the sale of
beer—entirely aside from its rev-
enue-producing aspects, has cre-
ated a legitimate grievance which
the government at Ottawa would
be well advised to adjust—if for
no other reason than the fact that
this grievance is being widely
utilized to undermine Canada’s
war effort, not only on the ques-
‘tion of the Victory Bond sub-
scription, but in war production
itself.

les: W orkers

PHILADELPHIA.
RGANIZED labor, often
called the backbone of the
war effort, has made an unusual
contract with the Red Cross to
supply blood -to the armed forces.

The contract, signed by lead-
ing AFL, CIO, and Railroad
Brotherhood officials represent-
ing over 400,000 workers in this
area, with Harry Lauer, South-
eastern Pennsylvania ~Chairman
of the Red Cross, pledged the
unions to organize a steady
stream of blood for the Red Cross
Blood Donor Service.

The unusual procedure was
made necessary by the increased
quotas established recently for
this and other regions, and by the
fact that still higher quotas are
expected to be announced “before
long.

Joseph A. McDonough, presi-
dent of the Central Labor Union,

F victory over Hitler were con-

ditioned by the curtailment of
beer consumption, the Canadian
people would readily forego their
beer, and regard it as one of the
slightest sacrifices they have yet
been called upom to make. But
that isn’t the point; the point is
that the sale of beer has been cur-
tailed drastically for no valid rea-
son, and that a_ Victory Loan
driye—perhaps the most decisive
loan the Canadian people will
ever make towards vyictory—and
on the eve of big decisive events,
is being endangered by govern-
ment decrees that are chaotic in
the extreme.

In this situation the people—
who have most at stake in this
war, must be guided by the old
Proverb that “two wrongs don’t
make a right.” Don’t be sparing
in criticism of an absurd “beer-
rationing” policy, but don’t sup-
port the “no beer, no bonds” idea.
That way lies defeat and degrada-
tion. “Better no beer than castor
oil poured down Canadian throats
by fascists” as the Toronto Trib-
une posed the issue.

NY refusal to support the Vic-

tory Loan drive on the “no
beer” issue is treason to Canada;
a betrayal of our young men and
women in Canada's armed forces.
Every.one of us urges and de-
sires that in the coming months

the Canadian divisions will spear-
head the invasion of Europe and
drive the dagger deep into the
black heart of Berlin. Can we be
loyal to the cause for which
thousands of Canada’s sons may
Bive their lives in the coming
months if we deprive them of the
tools to “finish the job,” all be-
cause we have been deprived
(quite stupidly, if you like) of our
customary quota of beer?

Damn the government on its
“no beer” policy, but support the
Fourth Victory Loan drive to the
limit of your capacity. This way
lies moral greatness, unity and
victory.

The “no beer, no bonds” slogan
is a weapon of the enemy. Stamp
it out.

Pledge Blood

explained after the contract cere-
mony, that the unions would take
up blood donations as part of
their refular business discussions,
and would arrange to donate
blood in groups, according to
trades. He added that the blood
donor contract would be made ef-
fective with a card index control
system.

ACH regiment, each group,
each raft on each boat is
now supplied with the precious
plasma .Five hundred to six
hundred units go with each regi-
ment that goes into line. Plasma
has become the most important
Single item on the medicine table.
“The old donors give over and
again,” Red Cross officials say.
“What the Red Cross needs now
is new donors, such as the United
Labor group will help to organ-
ize.”

SHORT |
JABS.

by OW Bill

Second Front!
APOLEON, like Hitler,
against the opening of ¢

ond front in Western ED

when he engaged with the -
sians in 1812. During the hi
retreat from Moscow, whic!
gan the series of calamities
brought about his ultimate ¢ |
fall, he was compelled to |
some thought to the subjecj

In the memoirs gf de Cay
eourt, his master of horse,
confidant of his quotes a re}
of “the Little Corporal,” =
while riding on a sleigh he
towards Germany and Franc

Thinking, and fearing, of
possible moves of the Britir
the circumstances, Napoleor
marked to his cavalry gen

‘If the idea entered their t

to make expeditions againsi

coasts, now at one point, ne
another, to°'re-embark as soc
forces were collected to fight ™
and te go at once to thrr
some other point—the situ
would be insuppor le.”
The British generals did
have the military acumen of
poleon, they did not harry

coasts as he thought they m

and it was not until two a

half years later that they suc

«ed in laying him by the hee!’

The blanket of fear that
over the mind of Bonaparte,
was a greater soldier than $
klegruber-Hitler has- turned
to be, has also descended on
modern Hun His bellowing

Nazi party functions prove

This fear comes from the ¢

source as that of Napoleon.

United Nations leaders will bi

linquent in their duty to de

racy if they fail to do as Nape
feared their forerunners woul

s

“Wieantes”’

ERSONALLY, I have n

thought much of Jack B
as a comedian and even les
him as an artist. My opinic
him as a comedian is not bk.
to change, but I may be comp:
to recast my estimate of his
tistie qualities.

He has made a new pic’
The legal profession—a profes
that is referred to by our Rus
allies as ‘conscience for hire
already making representatior
the Tsar of the movie industr
have this picture banned.

The grounds for their objec
is that Benny makes the 1
profession out to be composer
the ‘meanest’ people on earth
is not to be assumed that ‘m
is used as in England wheri
means stingy, but rather in
American connctation, as whe
teamster applies it to°a horse

If Benny can make the law;
appear any meaner in*that se
than they have made themsel
he must be a great artist.

We have only to remember si
of the figures who have filled
“office of minister of justice
attorney-general in Canada ~
the United States, to satisfy «
selves in that regard.

Press Drive

UST in case you have forgot
I am taking this opportw
to remind you that we are in
middle of the press drive ¥
this issue. Does that mean :
thing to you? i
Are you doing a share or
you doing all of your share
wards raising that $4,000, wi
is so necessary? Have you
newed your sub? Have you as
a neighbor to subscribe? §
Scribers are needed more ft
donations. We want readers
than dollars for we are orga
ing for victory which is not
be won by money alone,