New Party Branches

Live In

-By EFFIE JONES
Organizer, Housewives’ League
bé I DON’T tell my friends

where I live any-
more!”

That is the statement
members of the BC House-
wives’ League have listen-
ed to time and again since
we began our house-to-
house canvas recently to
get the ‘Jowdown’ on Van-
couver’s housing problem.
And the saddest part of it
is that the women who admit-
ted to us that they were posi-
tively ashamed to live in the
kind of accommodation they
were forced into were respect-
able, clean people, whose only
“crime” was that they were
the wives of war workers who
had answered our gsovern-
ment’s call for help on the
home front. Coming to Van-
ecouver's vast industrial center,
these people found that the
city had made little effort to
find homes for them. After a
desperate hunt for decent
quarters, they had to make
shift in cramped, rat-ridden
“suites.’ empty stores, and
renovated sheds.

e
He are seyeral examples
of the kind of housing Ca-

nadian war workers are of-
fered:
In a woodshed facing a

dark alley between Hamilton
and Homer Streets we found
a night shift aircraft worker
trying to sleep while his wite
papered the ceiling. The wom-
an confessed that her three-
year-old son couldn't take an
afterncon nap because of the
rats which scurried across the
floor from the alley. There are
five suits upstairs and four on

joining building. All the occu-
pants share one bathtub.

The landlord of a ° store
building on West Fourth pays
$96 a month rent for the whole
block. He sublets each of the
16 suites for $12.50. There are
no sinks or taps in any of the
rooms, and for all cooking,
washing and drinking water,
the tenants of all 16 suites
suites must find their way
down a dark corridor and
staircase to the far end of the
pbuilding. There is no bathtub.

At another West Fourth
building two families live in
six rooms. There is no bath,
and no sink. There is one tol-
let on the back porch.

e

HESE are only a few of

the many deplorable situ-
ations we found in the 350
houses we visited. In a city the
size of Vancouver, such condi-
tions must be brought to an
end.

In the meantime, what is the
attitude of the city fathers to
the problem? Perhaps the pre-
vailing attitude—which is one
of unconcern for the children
who will be Canada’s future

citizens—is illustrated by one
case Housewives’ League
members discovered.

In a Vancouver building

the ground floor of the ad-_

Must Our Workers

Slums ?

where a number of families
live there is only one bath
and three toilets—two of which
are not in working order. Ten-
ants were paying rents of $9
monthly for “suites” in this
dilapidated building. However,
the landlord appealed for per-
mission to increase his rents
to $17.50, because he is sup-
posed to have made improve-
ments on his property. He has
now been granted an official
document. signed by a Vancou-
ver judge, which authorizes
him to raise his rents. This
permit states that the landlord
has installed six baths, added
a staircase, paid for general
and electrical repairs.

But from tenants whose rent
will be raised beginning the
middle of August, Housewives’
League representatives learned
that all the landlord in ques-
tion had done was to clean
out an old shed and install the
single bathtub. The shed is un-
heated. Any tenant wanting to
use the bath must ask per-
mission and borrow the key.

e
HILE many authorities are
apparently closing their

eyes to these conditions, con-
tagious diseases are spreading
among war workers’ children.
And in a time of national
emergency, absenteeism grows
in vital war industries, be-
cause cramped living quarters

make sleep practically impos-
sible for night shift workers.
At the same time, worry about
those at home lowers morale
of mes on the job.

In evacuated Japanese sec-
tions, a young generation is
growing up under conditions
that should shame every Can-
adian. Juvenile delinquency is
increasing, because of lack of
supervised» government -spon-
sored playgrounds, nursery
and recreation centers.

e@

HAT is the solution to the

problem? It is agreed that
if intelligent planning had pre-
ceded the influx of war work-
ers there would be no serious
housing problem today. How-
ever, there is no course open
except to find an immediate—
if temporary—solution.

At the last meeting of the
Housewives’ League this ques-
tion was seriously considered,
and it was decided to frame

a resolution asking municipal,

provincial and federal authori-
ties to take the necessary steps
for the immediate construction
of low rental homes to relieve
the situation in congested areas.

~ These homes could be of a

type such as those erected in
auto camps.

This resolution will also be
forwarded to National Housing
Administrator F. W. Nichols.

We believe, and I am certain
that our belief is backed up
by organized labor, that the
problem of housing for war
workers is one which must be
solved—and solved at once. It
is the task of every Canadian
to press upon government au-
thorities for action so that nei-
ther our war industries or the
lives of our growing children
will be endangered.

jconmnuel

Socialism

ate them as public-ownea agencies,
thus cutting out speculation and
manipulation, which have proven
injurious alike to producers and
consumers.”

“Public ownership of transpor-
tation facilities” has been an ac--=
cepted practice in BC and
throughout Ganada for decades.
We have such outstanding ex-
amples as the PGE in BC which
has cost the taxpayers millions
of dollars. Then there is the
Canadian National Railways
which for years cost the taxpay-
ers of Canada $30,000,000 or so
annually in deficits, but since it
was “publicly owned” and the in-
terest payments met at the ex-
pense of the public, the bonds of
this previously bankrupt railway
system increased in price some
400 percent. No wonder the Capi-
talists who owned the bonds be-
came ardent advocates of “public
ownership.” There are also sev-
eral “publicly owned” street rail-
way systems. :

As regards “publicly owned com-
munication systems’ in Canada we
already have the Canadian Nation-
al Telegraphs, the postal system,
the provincial government tele-
phone system, and last, but not
least, the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation, so that in practically
every sphere of communication ana
transportation public ownership
has existed for years.

There remains of the CCF pro-
gram “a public monopoly of brew-
ing and distilling.” The distributive
end of this industry is already
“publicly owned” in the form of

the “BC Liquor Cohtrol Commis-
sion” which constitutes a “public
monopoly.”

@

OMMUNISTS have no particu-

lar objection to “the extension

of public ownership” when it can
be shown the common people could
secure lower prices as a result.
If a CCF government should be
elected, and the principle of “pub-
lic ownership” extended to the
manufacture of beer and liquor as
they propose, as well as handling
the wholesaling and retailing as the
present government is already do-
ing, and by means of “borrowing”
while floating another bond issue
for the purpose by means of bor-
rowing, there could be no objection
provided it could be shown the
working man could secure cheaper
beer.

Communists are not opposed
to the “extension of public own-
ership” if the working people will
benefit as a result. However, we
do object when such a pro-
gram is presented as being that
of a “revolutionary government,”
as a “revolutionizing of our sys-

tem,” as ‘socialism,’ as Mr.
Winch does. Such statements
are pure demogogy, and Mr.
Winch knows it.

Such “pseudo-socialism” has
nothing In common with social-
ism at all. It is merely a further

extension of state capitalism.
Socialism is an economic and
social system which excludes capi-
talists and the exploitation of man
by man, based on the principle of
“he who does not work, neither
shall he eat.” Only one country
in the world. as yet, has succeeded
in establishing such a system, and
that is the Union of Socialist Soviet
Republics. And when Mr. Winch
accuses Tim Buck of “betraying
the working class of Canada” be-
cause he is now forming a political
party of working people which will
advocate such a system, he is only
making himself appear ridiculous

vincial Initiative Committee.

“So far more than 800 applica-
tions have been received, and by
all appearances the new party will
have a membership of 2,000 before
the end of the year in Vancouver
city alone,” said McKean.

To date eleven clubs have
been set up in Vancouver and
district, and have established
committees to secure permanent
clubrooms. Five branches are

being established in Vancouver
Center, and members are already
discussing resolutions to be sent
to the provincial convention,
August 11, to which all branches
will send delegates.

The provincial convention will

shave three main responsibilities:

to consider resolutions submitted
by branches pertaining to the con-
stitution, program, structure, poli-
cies of the new party; to elect a
provincial executive committee; to
elect a minimum of ten delegates
to attend the National Constituent
Convention of the new party,
August 22-24, in Toronto.

Branches which had elected
executives at the time of going to
press include:

Hastings East Branch: chairman,
Lawrence Anderson, business
agent, Amalgamated Shipwrights;
vice-chairman, Helen Mathieson;
secretary, Vi. McCrae; financial
secretary, Nellie McKean; educa-
tional director, Jack Douglas.
Next meeting, Friday, 8 p.m., Odd-
fellows Hall, Hastings and Kam-
loops.

North Vancouver Branch: chair-
man, Ed Simpson, business agent,
Boilermakers’ Union, Local 1; vice-
chairman, Vie Hansell; secretary,
Dorothy Lynas: financial secretary,
Damon WBisman; educational direc-
tor, Charles Saunders, president,

Dock and Shipyard Workers’
Union. Next. meeting Monday,
August 2

Bast End Braneh: chairman, J.

HAst. 0240 766 E. al
Hastings Steam Baths;

Vancouver, B.C.
Always Open — Expert Masseurs?
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Since Tim Buck’s visit to Vancouver to discuss with
wing labor movement here the formation of a new
party of Canadian Communists, applications for me
in the proposed party have been pouring into Communis |
quarters here, reported Fergus McKean, secretay, of th

-Spegun. Next meeting, Ay

Chitrenky; vice-chairman, —
calak; recording  secreta |
Harodnik; financial secret; ’
Chowsky; educational dire

South Vancouver Branch
man, Al Parkin, acting edit)
People; vice-chairman,
Leary, president, Vancouve) |
Council; secretary, Marian |
financial secretary, Audrey ]
educational director, Bill 7
Next meting, August 2, °
Road Community Hall, 43
Victoria. :

Kitsilano Branch: cham :

Buckley; vice-chairman,
Stewart, president, Boiler |
Union; secretary, Betty I

financial secretary, Ruth
educational director. John {
Next meeting, August 4
West End Branch: ch
Minerva Cooper, business m
The People; vice-chairmar
Goss; secretary, Bill Turner !
cial secretary, Edna Shear
cational director, Charles
Next meeting, August 3; Jol
Studio, 641 Granville.
Branches have also been
in Grandview, Mount P
Vancouver Center and in
dale and New Westminster |
New Westminster Branch:
man, Roy Lavigne: vice-ch
Bert Sampson; secretary, M
osod; financial secretary, -
Greenall: publicity directc
Griffin, editor, The People
meeting, Wednesday, Aug —
Russell Hotel, New Westm

{EEE TT |

Who Stands |
Socialism?

Communist-Labor Total
Committee

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