1945 Page 6 — Saturday, February 17, By ANNE KELLY LONDON (ALN)—Setting the tone of the described by the chairman of the London County ference,’ Wasili Kuznetzov, chairman of the Soviet trade world labor conference, Council as which “the first world peace con- union delegation, stated here was that the military defeat of Ger- many is only the first step im “the long struggle to defeat the spirit of fascism throughout the world.” Pointing out that “the masses ci the people, especially the en- tire working class, are now pay- ing dearly for failure to under- take timely and decisive measures against fascism,” Kuiznetzoy as- | serted: “The lack of coordinated | action among the democratic dent of the Mine, Mill and Smel- ter Workers’ Union, declared that “the essential unity of the United Wations can be retained only if there is at the heart of it a hard, unbreakable core of internation- al union solidarity.” * Robinson spoke in place of Sid- ney Hillman, who did not arrive here in time to present the ad- a ress in the name of the GIO. Izging that the conference live up to the expectations of trade action by the'international work-|unionists in the armed forces, ing ¢lass movement gave fascism | Robinson said: “The best tribute “its chance to involve mankind in| we can give them here is to lay this terrible war.” The Soviet | aside prejudices and timidities, so trade union movement is anxious |we may emerge from these ses- “to develop and consolidate” its | sions bearing -to our organiza- relations wtih the workers of all|tions sound, workable plans for the democratic countries and |2 new international union/organi- “will welcome the creation of a zation.” new strong international trade | = union organization,’ he declared. | SEGRET AFL ABSENCE + Tsaaes, who chaired the first A uF r, f ALTERNATE CHAIRMEN session of the conterence, defined | The conferencé, which is at- ~ jas its primary aim “to concen- | tended by representatives of over | i:ate the resources of the interna- 50,000,000 workers in 88 Allied | tionally organized movement for countries, seven neutral coun-/the maintenance and extension tries and 10 international organi-| of the principles of freedom and zations, will be presided over al- : ‘ agemoeracy and to lay the founda- ternately by Kuznetzov, George +ions for an international organi- | { | | | Isaacs, chairman of the British ‘zation to safeguard peace and Trades Union Congress, and R. | justice throughout the world. J. Thomas, head of the CIO dele- Every other subject on the gation. Its three vice-presidents agenda is contributory to this are Vicente Lombardo Toledano, Eresident of the Confederation of | Latin American Workers, Louis | In a reference to the refusal of Saillant, general secretary of the the AF'L to attend the conference, French General Confederation ot | “ hich was later echoed by spokes- Labor and Chu Hseuh-fan, presi- | ™en for the CIO and Soviss beads dent of the Chinese Association | Uions, Isaacs stated: “We pro- of Labor. All six are ex-officio |foundly regret the absence from members of all conference com- | this eonference of important dele- mittees gations we had hoped to welcome. Still more do we regret the causes UNBREAK ABLE CORE 'of their nonattendance. But we - Speaking : “in the name of the| have not wavered in our belief CIO and President Philip Murray, |tundamental objective.’ |that the effort to rebuild our broadest possible basis must be made and that the time to make it is now, not at some later date.” Two of the first actions of the conference were the election of a standing orders committee and a credentials committee. The lat- ter consists of one nominee each from the U.S., the USSR and Britain, plus two floor nominees, with Alejandro Carrillo of the Confederation of Mexican Work- ers and Josef Kosina of Czecho- slovakia overwhelmingly elected as floor representatives. The standing orders committee im- cludes one representative each from the ‘Soviet, British, French and American delegations, and one each from Europe, the British | Commonwealth, Latin America, |China and international bodies— | Melecking the Christian trade junions, the International Fed- | er ation of Trade Unions and in- |ternational trade secretariats. | FIRST CONTROVERSY The ‘first controversy oi the conference arose when A. K. Mukerji, of the government-spon- sored Indian Federation of Labor, cbjected tothe nomination of S. A. Dange, president of the All- India Trades Union Congress, to the credentials committee, and protested Dange’s presence: at the conference on the grounds that the AITUC is affiliated to the Indian National Congress headed by Mohandas K. Gandhi. Dange withdrew his nomination, but it was generally expected that the eredentials committee would up- kold his right to represent India’s largest body of organized labor. The standing orders committee, in deciding that invitations should be extended to the trade union movements of the former enemy mania and Italy and to the trade unions of liberated Poland; aroused the second heated de- Late. Poles representing the London government-in-exile are attending the confernece. Five Yugoslay delegates, Djuro Salaj, Toni Pajar, Bodgan Kerkic, Du- san Petrovic and M. Popie are in London awaiting action on their éredentials. The committee also srecom- mended that the “general con- sent” of the conference should be determined by a vote when ne- cessary, if three or more dele- gations requested a vote. A two- thirds majority would put the conference on record, under the committee proposal, and each delegation would have one vote. Speaking on behalf of the com- mittee. Ernie Thornton of Aus- tralia stated that the decision to invite ex-enemy nations was made in order to “strengthen the mortle” of the trade unions of these countries. ebjection, TUC general secretary Siz Walter Citrine declared; “It is expecting too much of our credulity to be expected to be- lieve that with the exception of Finland these former enemy na- tions have democratic unions.” The controversy was temporarily shelved when Thomas, who ar- rived here during the debate, re- iterated the need for unity and recommended that the commit- tee’s report be adopted with the controversial issues referred back to the committee for reconsidera- tion. CITRINE SEEKS TO BLOCK VOTING Citrine also challenged the rec- ommended voting procedure, al- preliminary meeting to the prin- In a strenuous | though he had agreed during a : ciple of one vote per delegaty : when it was deemed necessa; | At the preliminary meeting, Ky | netzoy, with the support of G | delegates, had ‘argued “yj must adopt some Tesolutio: ions of the conference were?” the conference, Citrine aSSErty y “Here is a conference we + the world was consultative ae advisory only, not a conferen where decisions would be reach by. voting. How can you genere | trade union unity by major; votes? If it is imtended to i; plement this conference by y. | ing, the TUC may have to recq | sider our attitude towards futy conferences.” Citrine also ¢ | pressed a fear about the size the Soviet delegation and its 7. tential voting power if a popu vote were taken, asserting: “7 Soviet unions would not di they were equal in importay te the rest of the conference.” Replying to Citrine, Sailla head of the French deleraty stated: “It don’t know ~wheil | it is implied that the Russia | will vote aganist the intere of the working classes, bul might say that the existence | a large Russian army has be most helpful recently and it | conceivable that the large Rj sian delegation here might of some help.” Saillant also ;— fended the trade unions of fta —Continued on Page . . . Compliments... . ae R. Llewellyn. Dousla RICHARDS ae HASTING! Vancouver, B.C. G. FLORENCE “Accounting & Income Tax Service ” Phone MArine 8629 & ASSOCIATES wanes ee a ieraattonal | trade union movement on the uations of Finland, Bulgaria, Ro- 608 Holden Building . Vancouver, BiG: F 7 7 + ; yas] in ( ii sullen” Bell 2o0Msoa, Sree Ove sates February 17—-8-12 p.m. ee (|| DANCE and BANQUET Norauay Hall A PROGRESSIVE WORK BOOT FOR EVERY PURPOSE N. S. Gill Fuel Co. | | : Sloecan and Kingsway | Prices According to Wartime Regulations b New West, 810—FR. 3231 |] GOOD MUSIC — FREE EATS — REFRESHMENTS | JOHNSON’S- BOOTS 5 Mill Run Slabs, Edgings, |} | Tickets, $1.00 Norquay Branch LPP sh Wee a | ‘Tashites: 2 cords $10: tl J 63 West Cordova Street Phone MA. 7412 iN Wd, fe Savi 7 S| stibicbedbebabebadbaebeebedoebecbedbebedbedeebecbe debe = LET A UNION MAN | _ HELP YOU STYLES ey ee ee VALUES QUALITY Phone PA. 6526 or Write e sy MARSHALL A. JOHNSON _791 Dunsmuir Street Vancouver, B.C. (An active member of the United Office and Profes- Byrnes Typewriters Ltd.. Distributors Royal Typewriters and Allen Adding Machines ALL MAKES RENTED AND REPAIRED 592 Seymour Street Aedbrbibedoebbodbobbedorbebedodbebedhobebe dockets eee eee a tee For Over Forty Years @ DRY KINDLING 45 BAST HASTINGS ST. Vancouver, B.C. @ HEMLOCK—FIR 1685 Hone Say, Whee cha elome oi aoe Workers of America, Phone PA. 7942 UNION MADE Clothing |}| JF ERPEEEE LPL EEL EE LEP PR I = and Friendly Service. CLL oem, AS No. 1 Fir Mill-Run Wood _fstabishea sd Sng eerie cee e BULK SAWDUST RO Yee kee FAirmont 6867 MAGAZINES BOOKLETS NEWSPAPERS and q JOB PRINTING of all | DESCRIPTIONS 2303 E. Hastings QUALITY and SERVICE FAST END PRINTERS} HA. 0095