ees THE PEOPLE Published every Wednesday by The People Publishing Co., Room 104, Shelly Building, 119 West Pender Street, Vancouver, B.C. Telephone: MArine 6929. EpiTror Har GRIFFIN Manacinc Eprror q..--..-.csse---------- AL PARKIN Business MANAGER ..-.--------.--- MINERVA Coorer Six Months—$1.00 One Year—$2.00 Printed at Broadway Printers Limited, 151 East 8th Avenue, Vencourer, B.O. The Victory Loan GPnepes fourth Victory Loan drive officially opens next week, April 26, and already there are strong indications that the campaign, which is being backed to the hilt by or- ganized labor, will be a sweeping success. There is no need to search for reasons as to why the loan drive should be fully supported by all Canadians interested in winning the war against fascism. Finance Minister Isley placed the question in its proper perspective this week when he told a Toronto meeting that success in the campaign was vitally necessary “to help provide the materials of war for the early opening of the second front in Europe and to re- move some of the war burden from the shoulders of our Rus- sian allies.” : To a great and growing number of Canadians, participation in the war effort, whether in the army or the factory, is coupled with honest concern over the progress of the war, over the possibilities of a decisive defeat of Hitlerism in the short- est possible time. They want to see their finely-trained Ca- nadian Army take its part in actual battle—they want to see their tools of war put to use at the decisive moment. And they feel that the decisive moment is now, this year, while Hitler is still trying to re-group his badly mauled armies on the Eastern front. All these facts must have been taken into consideration by the 3,000 members of the Vancouver Dock and Shipyard Workers Union this week when they voted $2,000 for purchase of Victory Bonds. It was a fine move, one worthy of emula- tion by all other labor organizations in BC. And that it will be followed is a certainty. We have every confidence that labor in BC knows the score, knows that by backing the fourth Victory Loan they will also be “backing the attack.” Why After Tunisia? é ee first elation over the Allied victory in Tunisia has now given way to the sober realization that Rommel still has plenty of strength left and that he remains in a position to fight a fairly lengthy delaying action. Together with the forces of von Arnim, he can continue for some time the basic - strategy of Hitler in North Africa—to divert Anglo-American forces from the invasion of Europe. That’s Hitler’s strategy, of course, and unfortunately there are people within the United Nations who seem willing to go along with it. For to make the second front in Europe dependent upon the course and the outcome of the Tunisia battle is to fight on the terms dictated by the enemy. Right now, for example, we are engaging no more than 11 Axis divisions in North Africa, compared with around 7,000,000 men under Hitler’s command in Europe—most of them on the Eastern front. In comparison, the Afrika Corps is a mere handful. Even the Yugoslav People’s Army of Liberation are fighting more enemy troops—a, total of 13 German and Italian divisions. In spite of this the armchair defeatists—some of them high in military councils—continue to express or infer the opinion that no major action in Europe can be expected before the enemy is ousted from Tunisia. In this they overlook the very important fact that action in Europe before the Tunisian cam- paign is settled will tremendously increase Hitler’s difficulties without increasing those of the Allies. For an invasion of Europe must logically come from across the English Channel, where already an enormous army, finely equipped and trained, has been organized, and perhaps more important, with all the resources of British war industry at its command. This invasion army under separate command and operating independently of the Anglo-American forces in Tunisia, would in no way conflict with the Tunisian cam- paign, would in fact strengthen that campaign by forcing Hit- ler to re-direct reinforcements for Rommel to the new front. At the same time he would face a new offensive by the Red Army, his most powerful enemy. No, there is no logical argument for an Allied defeat as a prerequisite to the second front. The Allies’ strength is such that it could well be directed on two or more fronts. And to do that would make Hitler’s difficulties insurmountable. The Fight For Allied Labor Unity What's Holding It Up? By GEORGE MORRIS OW do matters stand with respect to international trade union unity? : The best that could be said of most recent developments on the problem is that interest in it has widened. Proof of that is the extraordinary effort that enemies of international labor unity are pressing to block its realization. Soon the world will mark the Anglo - American committee is second anniversary of the Nazi really nothing more than an ar- invasion of the Soviet Union. As rangement whereby the British we look back to nearly two years labor movement, in effect, rec- of frightful warfare the main -ognizes only the APL as the of- burden of which was borne by the ficial spokesman for the Ameri- Red Army and the people behind can workers. it, we think of the painful, but still unrealized, struggle for a second front, and of the powerful reactionary movement to delay and block it. It is a ceaseless see- saw between the win-the-war forces and those who plot for a save-Hitler peace. Every trade unionist will now recognize that the intrigues, double-dealing and dilly-dallying that we have seen on the issue of international labor unity, are also a reflection of the clash of forces in the general picture of world @ HERE is the principal source of opposition? In the first place, the opposi- tion comes from a group of ap- peasers in the ranks of the AFL's council, with Matthew Woll and William Hutcheson at their head. Both represent the Herbert Hoover line in the AFL’s ranks. They are basically opposed to the Roosevelt policies and most clearly express the Hoover thesis of a peace with Hitler and ulti- mate war against the Soviet policy—on prosecution of the war [nion. Hence, they fight to the as well as the peace to follow. — hilt against any friendship with e the Soviet Union or its trade HAT is the objective in al- unions. lied labor unity? The second negative factor is First, it is to strengthen the the reactionary clique that stems war effort by uniting all labor, from Social Democratic ranks. as the United Nations, on the This greup commands consider- proposition that this is a people’s able strength by control of the war for which the maximum con- International Ladies Garment tribution must be made on the Workers Union, the Cap and production line, Millinery Workers, and such Labor could exchange its ex- mouthpieces of publicity as the perience to further an all-out Jewish Daily Forward. effort. Morale could be greatly A’ further source of strength advanced to an exchange of dele- for them are the various groups gations and through other forms of immigrant Social Democrats. of world-wide labor solidarity. Those consist largely of the scum Secondly, labor united could of reactionary groups that once greatly influence the political controlled Social Democratic or- course of the war along lines ganizations in occupied lands of that will keep it as a people’s Europe. war—clear of the Darlans, Haps- burgs, Francos and like fascist elements who are abandoning a _ Sinking ship. Thirdly, labor united, can be a 1 6 ECENTLY, President Philip Murray pointed to stil a third obstacle—the position of Sir Walter Citrine and his associ- powerful progressive force in ates in the British labor move- shaping a secure and democratic ment. peace. Murray revealed that the anti- e Soviet clique in the AFL’s coun- HAT has been the result to date? The entire CIO has come out in favor of it. Prac- tically all its affiliates have ap- proved it. The Boston conven- tion of the CIO implemented its unanimous approval with provi- sion for such immediate steps as exchange of delegations with the cil is actually blackmailing the British Iabor movement with a break-up of the Anglo-American committee if it deals with the CIO. And what is still worse, Citrine and his group yield to this blackmailing. Their mission to America was apparently carried out just for- Soviet and British unions. mally to appease the clamor -in The American Federation of Britain for something practical Labor, officially, has and still to realize international continues, to oppose it. But its unity. The British workers can- executive council is not a solid not understand why Americans bloc on the question, There are and their unions do not join with a number of shadings ranging Soviet labor. from a lukewarm support of such . unity to uncompromising oppo- 4 Es play of forces on Allied sition. A numbér of international labor unity gives unmistak~- AFL unions, and a great num- able evidence that the issue must ber of local unions, state or cen- be fought out just as the fight tral bodies, have come out for against appeasers in general must Allied labor unity. Among the be fought out and won. The soon- membership at large, wherever er this is realized the better it an opportunity of expression is.» will be for the whole cause of given, there is overwhelming sup- victory. port. . One draw-back in “AFL unions It is with the view of “appeas- has been passivity because of @ ing” this support, that the AFL feeling that sooner or later even council attempted to engineer an the AFL council will come to arrangement whereby the British some arrangement. members on the Anglo-American This is encouraged by the fre- Trade Union Committee, would quent statements, from Green be a “liaison” with Soviet trade and others, of lavish praise of unions. This fell through because the Red Army. ; the Soviet trade unions would But it is precisely this passiv- have nothing to do with such an ity that has played into the hands insulting proposition. Subse- of Woll, Hutcheson, Dubinsky, et quently the British Trade Union al. The situation eries out for a Congress rejected it. vigorous expression from locals The Railroad Brotherhoods, and central bodies to show that too, have come out in favor of these gentlemen do not speak for International Trade Union Unity, the AFL members. , lining up with the CIO for an It is high time that the weight all-inclusive committee. of the millions of members in- The entire picture is further tervened to bring the entire sit- complicated by the fact that the uation on a constructive basis. _its quota of instances of thir; England labor - SHORT | by OV Bill). War Humor HEWN, in the midst of a) tragedy, people can when irony that verges on } is used to emphasize thei weaknesses, there is hor such people. It indicates tha morale is of a high order} present war, the greatest-j made tragedy that ever