; Visiting a headquarters unit of the Canadian Army in Holland from the World

ade Union Conference in London. From left to right:
pdes and Labor Congress of Canada: C. S, Jackson, Pres.

J. A. Sullivan, Sec.-Treas.
of United Electrical Radio

q Machine Workers of America: Brigadier Churchill’ €C. Mann, €BE, DSO, Tor-
mio; J. A. Whitebone, St. John, N.B., Vice-President Trades and Labor Congress in

nada; Nigel Morgan, International Woodworkers of America, CIO.

lyncouver Labor Council Endorses

ition, and taking up all
in the brief submitted by

mized labor.” These were
ening words of a statement

by the BCFederation of
i and endorsed after heated
at the meeting of the
guver Labor Council this

ed argument developed
Danny O’Brien, regional
for of the CCL, took the
‘ollowing a motion of non-
Yence in the statement in-
ed by Wileen: Tallman of
seelworkers’ delegation.

tins out that in his opin-
e Labor Lobby had achiev-
markable success O’Brien

that the decision of the
Stes in accepting the com-
B’s report had been unani-

In reply to a statement
slany of the delegation were
iesent when the vote was
» O’Brien stated that prac-
@ the only delegates missing
Wc time were the Steelwork-
sho had left enbloc the day

* regional director then
fl out that James Robert-
teel representative in B.C.,
Eback to Victoria the day
ing the Lobby and address-
meeting .of the Victoria
sand Labor Council, urging
Spaign of wires to govern
emembers and the opposi-
sembers, in direct contradic-
) the stand taken by the
tion and without-any con-
€on with the officers of
‘deration. Classifying this
as direct sabotage of the
and the CCl, O’Brien also
d that a full caucus of the
orkers’ delegation had been

by Robertson in the of-

eouncil meeting.

Arthur Turner, MLA, admitted
that the CCE opposition often
introduce bills into the house.
knowing full well that they will
not stand any chance of passing,
merely “for the sake of pub-
licity.” This cynical statement
Was greeted with jeers by th
delegates. ;

Neither Turner nor Robertson
attempted to answer the charges
laid by O’Brien, and only repeat-
ed the cry, fully exposed as
phoney by Turner’s remarks
that they should get “something
from the legislature in this ses-
sion of the house.”

It was noticeable in the voting
that the delegates representing
the bulk of membership of the
council, i.e. from the mines. the
woods and the shipyards, voted
solidly for the upholding of the
executive statement, while the
bulk of the opposition vote was
made up of the Steelworkers who
seat their delegates on the basis
of small locals.

The opinion of the majority of
the workers “represented in the
council was well summed up in
the concluding sentences of the
Federation statement as follows:

“However, since leaving Vic-
toria a movement was started by
certain individuals for purely
partisan political reasons, aimed
at disuniting labor and bringing
about eonfusion.. There can be
no doubt in anyone’s mind as to
the true meaning of the action
taken by James Robertson in
the name of certain affiliates of
our Hederation, nor that of
George Wilkinson, who was a
member of our elected commit-
tee, and who in spite of the fact

Federation Executive Statement

with us, made preparations, with-
eut further consultations, to or-
ganize a rump lobby. Nor can
there be any question as to the
motives of Mr. Gargraves, MIA,
who placed a resolution on the
order paper of the legislature, as
recorded in the public press,
which resulted in labor’s legis-
lative proposals becoming a poli-
tical football around the check-
off question.

“We-hereby declare that these
people were all acting without
the knowledge or consent of the
officers of the B.C. Federation
of Labor and in distinct viola-
tion of the unanimous report of
the committee, of which Brother
Wilkinson himself was a mem-
ber, welcoming the establishment
of the government-labor commit-
tee. The issuance of a circular
letter to some trade unions, in-
eluding affiliates of the CCh,
Was a violation of trust and an
attempt to disrupt the unity es-
tablished by labor. This letter
urged all organizations to im-
mediately write or wire the lead-
er of the opposition in the Brit-
ish Columbia legislature, Harold
Winch, to move a resolution
which would have had the effect
of lining up labor with the op-
position to the government, af-
ter an agreement had been reach-
ed betwen labor and the provin-
cial government and the opposi-
tion.

“The executive officers of the
British Columbia Federation of
Labor have called a special meet-
ing of the Federation Executive
Council for March 25 to elect

representatives to this joint gov-

ermment-labor committee.”

Saturday, March 17, 1945 — Page 3

The conference, called to deal
with organization, political ac-
tion, postwar reconstruction and
labor - management relations
problems, was attended: by more
than 100 shop stewards from
Boeing plants, together with of-
ficers of the lodge.

The call for extension of AFL
political action was contained in
the report presented by Bert
Nixon, Lodge vice-president. The
adopted resolution asks the TLG
to “recommend to all its affili-
ated locals that they immediate-
ly set up Political Action Gom-
mittees” with its assistance. It
also asks the TLC PAC to call a
conference of ‘all such commit-
tees within 30 days and that all
locals be asked to- bring for-
ward briefs “dealing with a pol-
icy and program for future or-
fanized political action.”

The conference also adopted
the report on reconstruction, pre-
sented by Tom Parkin, recording
secretary, calling for reduction
in freight ratés between B.G. and
other parts of Canada, “in order
that we may have equal oppor-
tunity ‘with other provinces of
the Dominion to fully exploit our
natural resources to the benefit
of the people.”

The political action report re-
affirmed the union’s no-strike
pledge as'a means of avoiding
postwar chaos, such as was re-
sponsible “for the destruction of
a large number of unions and
the weakening of organized labor
generally” -at the end -of the
last. war. This resolution assert-
ed that “strong, united Political
Action Committees will provide
a more -effective and more ra-
tional niedium for winning fa-
vorable labor legislation”? than
strike action could.

The stewards also reecom-
mended that the DLodge’s PAG
investigate present Federal or-
ders-in-Couneil relating to Labor
Code (P€ 1003) and Wage CGon-
trol (9384) and recommend
methods of changing them to
overcome their present faults
which are contributing to labor
unrest. The resolution charged
that the Canadian Manufactur-
ers’ Association “arid other re-
actionary elements are taking
advantage of the weaknesses of
present legislation to bring
pressure upon: the government to
further limit and curtail the
scope of collective bargaining.”

Other recommendations adopt-
ed in the reconstruction report
included a planned public works
program for which: federal, pro-
vineial- and municipal govern-
ments would bear joint respon-
sibility. . The conference want-
ed such a program to be “a con-
structive one based on the needs
of the community, and not just
@ means for creating employ-
ment such as our relief camps
were in the past.”

The _ provincial government
was urged to proceed with early
development of these sections of
B.C. “‘which are known to have
definite possibilities with respect
to employment.” I+ was point-
ed out that while present provin-
cial plans are comprehensive,
nothing concrete has as yet been

done or announced, and that

AFL Unions Urged |
To Step Up PAC

Stepping up of: political action among unions aitiliated
to the Vancouver, New Westminster and District Trades
and Labor Council (APL) was recommended by conference
of Aeronautical Lodge 756 shop stewards this week.

there does exist legislation which
permits such developmental
work.

Completion of the PGE Rail-
way with terminus in Vancou-
ver was also recommended, to-
gether’ with “const®uction of 2
highway on the Wancouver Is-
land West Coast “and other
transportation media that will
make accessible the rich areas
of the province.’ Ownership
and operation of such projects
to remain sole responsibility of
the provincial government was

also advocated in this resolution.

Other recommendations were
for federal research grants to
find new or secondary industries,
and provincial government pres-
sure on federal authorities for
shorter work week law.

The conference also decided to
undertake a membership drive
to complete 100 per cent organ-
ization of Boeing plants. This
was considered timely in view of
the stabilization of contracts,
the termination of layoffs and
the fact that labor turnover was
now at a minimum.

It was decided to send seven
‘delegates to the first annual
B.C. conference of the Workers’
Educational Association to be
held at the end of March. Five
of these will be shop stewards
and the other two will be mem-
bers of the executive.

Bretton Woods
Aids Colonists

NEW YORK—‘The adoption
of the Bretton Woods Agyree-
ments by the nations of the world
ean have a prof-und effect upon
the economic well being of colon-
jal peoples everywhere,’ Mr. H.
D. White, Assistant Secretary
of the United States Treasury,
stated in a telegram received to-
day by the Council on African
Affairs.

The statement continued:
“Specifically, the International
Monetary Fund will aid colonial
peoples by expanding world
trade and thus provide profitable
markets for the raw materials
and resources produced in colon-
jal areas.

“One of the major purposes of
the International Bank for Re-
construction and Development is
that of encouraging the develop-
ment of the productive facilities
and resources of the less devel-
oped countries and their terri-
tories. Colonial areas, requir-
ing long-term loans at reason-
able rates of interest for their
sound economic development, are
particularly in need of the aid
which the International Bank
can furnish.

“The adoption of the Bretton
Woods Agreements offers colon-
ial peoples the opportunity for
sound and constructive economic
development as distinguished
from their ruthless exploitation.”

The Council on African Affairs
is urging the widest public sup-
port of the United Nations Mone-
tary Agreement reached at
Bretton Woods and now before
Congress.