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Uni

Ask Legality For
Communist Party

Trade unions throughout Canada are joining this month
in one united appeal to Prime Minister Mackenzie King and
members of the parliamentary committee on the Defence of
Canada Regulations for the lifting of the ban on the Communist
party in the interests of national unity and the Canadian war

effort.

“TJ am sure that the work of the
unions in this regard will be a
tremendous factor in bringing pres-
Sure to bear in the lifting of the
ban,’ Tom MacEwen, of the Com-
munist-Labor- Total War Commit-
tee, who has been addressing
union meetings throughout the
city, told The People this week.

“Trade union members realize
that the ban is detrimental to
national unity, and that a total
war effort is impeded while it
is in effect. The ban remains a
toe-hold for fifth columnists and
the isolationist gang who try to
sabotage and undermine the war
effort under the guise of fight-
ing against Communism.”

Among Vancouver trade unions
which have sent esolutions to
Ottawa asking for removal of the
ban are Bakery and Confectionery
Workers’ Union, Local 42; Journey-
men Tailors of America, Brother-
hood of Carpenters and Joiners,
Hotel and Restaurant Employees,
Blacksmiths’ Union, and Plumbers
and Steamfitters, Local 170.

A resolution sent to Prime Min-
ister King and members of ths
committee from International
Jewelry Workers’ Union, Local 42,
stated:

“The members of Local 42 are
of the opinion that a continuation
ef the Ban on the Communist
Party helps to weaken our national
unity, which is so essential for
winning the war, and is in fact

hindering that section of our pop-
ulation from playing its full part
in the defeat of the fascist na-
tions.”

International Woodworkers of
America have protested the ban
on all democratic and anti-fascist
organizations for some time, and
have sent “periodic appeals for its
removal to the Prime Minister,’’ ac-
cording to Bert Melsness, secre-
tary-treasurer, IWA District Coun-
cil

“The ban should definitely be
removed in the interests of na-
tional unity,’ Melsness stated.
“That is the opinion of our union
members, and appeals have been
sent out to that effect from our
district council”

“The lifting of the ban on all
anti-fascist organizations was en-
dorsed at our convention,” stated
Bill Burgess, United Fishermen’s
Union secretary this week, “and
protests were sent to Ottawa im-
mediately following our conven-
jtion. The ban on the Communist
Party is a source of national dis-
unity, and must be removed. This
|is the attitude we've displayed per-
|sistently from year to year.”
| Many other labor organizations
jhave asked MacEwen to speak at
|}meetings. Next Monday he will
j}address a group from the Minister-
ial Association, on the importance
of enlisting the support of the
jchurch in appeals for removal of
| the - ban.

‘Business-Ass-Usual’

Ties Up US Shipping

NEW YORK (ALN).—The

lives of American and Allied

soldiers are being lost because of the “waste, confusion and
lack of planning of U.S. shipping resources,” it was charged
this week by Philip Murary, CIO president, and the heads of

the CIO's four maritime unions:
Joseph Curran, of the WNational
Maritime Union; Harry Bridges,
of the International Longshoremen
and Warehousemen; John Green,
of the Marine and Shipbuilding
Workers, and Joseph Selly, of the
American Communications Associ-
ation. Z

“The present situation is alarm-
ing and needs immediate investi-
gation and correction,” the CIO
leaders declared. “Right at this
moment a substantial amount of
our war effort is being lost be-
cause of unnecessary delays, waste
of manpower, cost-plus contracts
and inefficient peacetime methods
used in the distribution and ship-
ping of war materials.” Charging
that “private shipping operators,
through cost-plus contracts, prefer
slow and inefficient methods of
cargo handling and ship operation
as greater profit accrues to them
under the terms of such contracts,”
the unions state:

“One ship, for instance, lay 100
days in the South Pacific, during
which time crew members were
not permitted to help unload the
ship by order of the shipping oper-
ators. A crew delegation went
ashore and told the U.S. Army
major in charge of the port that

they had volunteered their work
in unloading, without extra com-
pensation. The major welcomed
their effort, but they were still
not allowed to work.”

Wastage of shipping space is
another charge against the com-
panies “Ships carry wine and
champagne in the Pacific. Others
carry cargoes of bananas, arti-
ficial flowers, birdseed, caviar,
toothpicks and toys. A ship sailed
from New York to North Africa,
carrying 3000 tons of sand {as
ballast. It returned to New York
in ballast. Another Ship made a
trip from New York to Brazil and
West Africa without loading or
unloading cargo.”

Methods used by anti-union long-
shore contractors are declared to
bring results such as the following:

At Southwest Pacific ports, ships
unloading dumped tons of trucks,
guns, ammunition and supplies
into the sea. The fighting men in
the forces make jokes about swim-
ming out and diving down to get
these supplies. At the height of
the winber offensive of the Russian
Army, hundreds of thousands of
tons of cargo for the Soviet Union
lay on docks at a west coast port.
Ii was moving at the rate of 50,000
tons a month. Port facilities could
have handled 200,000 tons a

s Bal

ted Labor Protest

Continued

Prime Minister King greets British Foreign Secretary An-
thony Eden on his recent visit to Ottawa.

Circulated with the petition is a
pamphlet, signed by members of
the Committee for Defense of the
ULFTA, which tells a little of the
history of the organization, found-
ed in 1924, which had as its objects
“to ereate goodwill and unity be-
tween the Ukrainian-Canadians
and the Canadian people in gen-
eral; to educate Ukrainian-Cana-
dians in the understanding of the
cooperative spirit and the demo-
cratic way of life in their new
homeland; to bring up their chil-
dren as patriotic Canadians and
as healthy and intelligent citizens
of Ganada, and to cultivate na-
tional cultural activities to create
better understanding and friend-
ship between Canadians of Ukrain-
ian origin and Canadians in gen-
eral.”

By 1940, the ULETA, through
the donations and volunteer labor
of its members, had built com-
munity buildings valued at one
million dollars. More than 200
orchestras, 120 choirs, many
drama, gymnastic and dance
groups, reading and study circles
and lterary clubs functioned
in centers across Canada. And
from its inception, the ULFTA
had no’ affiliations with any po-
litical party either in Canada
or outside Canada.

Then suddenly, in June, 1940,
without warning, accusation or
trial, the A’ssociation was de-

elaréd an “illegal’’ body, its prop-
erties seized and padlocked,
When the ULFTA was a young

Ukrainians Petition. For
Return O) Property

A petition to His Excellency the Governor-General-in-Coun-
cil is being circulated throughout Canada this month, asking
that the property of the Ukrainian Labor-Farmer Temple As-
sociation be restored to its rightful owners. The appeal was sent
out by the Civil Liberties Association of Toronto.

organization, another group was
formed. It was pro-Nazi, anti-
Soviet — the Ukrainian Nationa-
ist Organization, which found
sympathy in Nazi Germany. Hitler
himself expressed his approval,
and UNO headquarters were estab-
lished, in Berlin. It was to the
UNO that the Custodian of En-
emy Property sold some of the
most valuable ULEFTA property
at, in some cases, less than one-
third its value.

“Your attention, please, people
of Canada,” appeals the pamphlet.
“You like fair play. You want to
live in a world where justice relens.
You don’t like to see people pushed
around... . :

“Kharkov, Kiev, Stalingrad, Belo-
grad, the Ukraine . . you have
read of their ruin and devastation.
Dr. Goebbels has explained that
such destruction was necessary to
save Europe and the world from
the ‘menace of Bolshevism.’ :
Is it possible that we in this coun-
try can, at one and the same time,
deplore and sanction injustice?
For we have our UWkrainian atroc-
ities in Canada...

“We can say that it is none of
our business, that it is some-
thing for the government to af-
tend to... . . That might be pos-
sible if it were merely a legal
or a political question. But it is
more than that — it is above
all a moral question. And for
each of us, therefore; the res-

ponsibility is personal and in-
escapable.”

|the city’s labor annals. Two

‘Among the thousands were ¢

Giant Ra

as your leaders. And I pledge)
behalf of the other executive ©
bers you have chosen that thi
be the last time. We're
stay as long as you contin
approve our policies.” —

His concluding words we
ly drowned out in a roar 0
ing which broke from the ¢

of the largest union meetii .

before they had started pe:
through the gates of the
Fourth Avenue ball park, soz}
them marching in groups, S01
them carrying banners bearin |
mames of the various sub
and the yards they represi

of women members, some of
carrying children in their ar
The business of the meetin;
conducted quickly and effici
Nominations for president br |
shouts of “Stewart, William
art.” He was unopposed and
matically elected. In quick
other executive officers
named: Fred Cardwell, vice-
dent, unchanged; Tom Mack
financial secretary, uncha
Worman McSween, recording
retary; Wie Forster, reportei
changed,

Only one other motion
passed—to the effect that
general meetings 50 me
would constitute a quorum. =
ly after the meeting adjourne
the -Boilermakers poured o
the park, determined this th
maintain their union agains
further opposition by disrujy

Thus was climaxed one ¢
most unusual labor disput
Canadian history, a dispute
developed around the questi
the right of a union 13,000 7
to choose its own officials w
interference from outsiders.

It began late last year wi
the regular annual electio
the local the membership -
in a new slate of officers, F
by William Stewart. Within
days CCL Vice-President 3
lane, apparently acting on ir
tion, suspended the charter
union and appointed an ad
tration board which included
members of the ousted exer
Reacting strongly against tt
Ministrative control, the me
ship reelected Stewart at ¢=
cial meeting, only to have:
efforts blocked again by cot
junction which prohibted tt
ecutive from acting.

Positive feature of the entir
pute remains, however, thr
that it suceeeded in unitin
entire membership around t
sue of democratic control
membership grew by several
sands. And it was this uni}
was to prove decisive, that
possible Thursday’s meeting
made possible the complete |
of McAuslane and the anti
elements who became asst

with him.

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