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Page 4 — May 19, 1945

P.A.

ine eeey VOICE FOR PROGRESS

SURIERDSEADESEEECHEDIDOSRSCURSSTELCOTUSLSONUESECSERESESEERUSECELSUESES LESTE TERE,

PACIFIC ADVOCATE

WEESAPOPSEUUESACHUALUAEDECEELESECCLCERPCLISEPEAAED SERS LESSLSRSESCLESESSEERLAENER

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Fight For Unity

S the date of the election draws closer, the drive of the

Tories to take over power becomes more evident as the
chief danger facing the people of Canada. In the face of the un-
scrupulous propaganda of the Tories and the link up with the
Bloc Populaire, pro-fascist and Nationalist elements, the need
of unity among the progressive forces’ to defeat the aims of
the Bracken-Duplessis-Dorion axis becomes essential.

In the face of these facts more and more people within

‘the ranks of the CCF are repudiating the anti-unity, partisan

policies of the leadership and are rallying their strength behind
candidates pledged to cooperate with all progressives against
the drive of Tory reaction.

(he consequence of the disastrous isolationist policy of
the CCF leadership manifests itself more strongly this week as
a result of the expulsion of H. W. Herridge, CCF M.L.A. As
a consequence of this action against Herridge, who accepted
the federal nomination from the local CCF organization with
the backing of all labor and unions in the district, Oscar Elia-
son, prominent CCF’er and several times provincial candidate
for that party, has broken away and is urging support and
speaking on the platform for Harvey Murphy, LPP nominee
for East Kootenay.

Protesting the expulsion of Herridge as the last straw, he
stated that the present policies of the federal and provincial
CCB leadership could only lead to disaster.

This split in CCF ranks following a wave of defections
from coast to coast is evidence of a deep internal conflict be-
tween the ambitious selfish partisan aims of the top leadership
and the growing desire for unity in the rank and file.

The heat of election battles is bringing out more clearly
the fact that most of the CCP leadership stand apart and
isolated from labor.

Contempt fot organized labor can be seen in the statement
of Arthur Williams, Ontario CCF candidate, to the effect that
‘trade unionists who do not support the CCF will be purged
following the elections. :

Further evidence can be seen at the World Security Con-
ference where Canadian opposition to the admittance of dele-
gates from the World Labor Federation passed without protest

from M. J. Coldwell, member of the delegation and leader of |

tle Cr:

» It is as a result of such actions and policies, based on a
CCF or nothing outlook, that labor and many within the CCF
itself are looking elsewhere for candidates who they can sup-
port. They realize that such policies can only doom the people
of Canada to five years of the kind of unemployment and
distress which was their lot in the depression years. They
realize that the opportunity for coalition exists, provided there
is unity in the labor movement. They are beginning to reject
those policies which prefer a Tory combination in power and
places its own partisan interests above that of the nation.

The issue facing the labor movement is simply this. By its
yote on June 11—it will be either a partner in government

or by following the CCF policy become an impotent force
unable to help in the solution of the problems that the postwar

years will bring.

iP Passing By C. A.. Saunders a oS

HE issues in this election are too vital for
pussyiotinge or mincing words. To much de-
pends on the kind of government we are to have
in the next five years: Tne sacrifices have been
too great, suffering too in-
tense to leave any room for
quibbling.

We have realized these
things before but they are
being brought home with
greater intensity now that
some of the boys are return-
ing from overseas. It js in-
teresting to talk to them and
realize that these men who
have carried the ball through
five years of the most ter-
rible war in history of man-
kind, know what they fought
for and are determined not
to be cheated out of it. They
don’t deseribe their thoughts
in high sounding phrases but in down to earth
terms. Ask them and their answer will be al-
most invariably. ‘I want a decent job: a home
and a fair measure of security”

This was the answer Lt. Austin Delany gave
me when I talked to him when he arrived in Van-
couver this week. He had just landed after a
flight across the Atlantic and Canada in his
journey home from England. He was naturally

_anxious to see his wife and the baby girl that

had arrived since he left for overseas a year ago.
But he was full of enthusiasm and bursting to
get into the fight again. He swung right into
action with a speech to his old union mates in
the Boilermakers that same night and is anxious

to speak to as many people as he can. to tell ©

them what the boys over there expect of them
in the coming: election, to urge them to save Gan-
ada from Tories, to preserve the unity that has
brought such wonderful wartime results.
Delany is a young man. he is full of enthu-
Siasm for the future of Canada, he wil hear
nothing of the calamity howling, ‘If we can do it
in wartime, and what a wonderful job we have
done, then we can do it in the postwar period.”
These are the men who can help Canada through
the next period. Men who have seen unity im

Around Town

Tee whistles have stopped blowing, the red-
white-and-blue horns have been tossed in the
trasheans, and the street cleaners have swept
up the ticker tape, torn paper and streamers:
And the people have got

back to work on the job Of xen aan xe
rebuilding the world.

The statesmen at San
Francisco are making the.
world-shakinge decisions, but
groundwork for the peace is
-also being laid in the little
communities, neighborhood
centers and town meetings
all over Canada-. Statesmen
must draw up plans for in-
ternational organization, but
the people themselves have
to decide how the new school-
house will be built at Hop-
kins Corners, what kind of community, work shall
be done in Mapleville, and the best place for the
park at Perkins Point. During the past few
weeks I’ve met several people who are engaged

in this type of postwar planning, and they were -

so enthusiastic about their work that I thought
perhaps you would like to meet them. too.

If you talk to the people of Lynn Valley. for
instance: you wil-be told that. first, Linn Valley
is the most wonderful place in the world: second:

that Lynn Valley has more possibilities than any
_ other place in the world; third that the people

of Ikynn Valley intend to make the most of them.

I visited Lynn Valley Community Center
with one of the officials, an enthusiastic young
man who lives in the valley with his houseful of
boisterous children, a dog, three cats, several
rabbits, a flock of chickens, and a goat named
Wimpy. He took us to the basement of the neat
wooden building. Desks, cupboards and toy

_ shelves lined the walls.

“This is going to be our playschool.” he said.
“We have a commitee on the job and we'll be
open any day now. Another thing were work-
ing towards is an outdoor playground with a
good supervisor. There is a vacant lot not far
away that will be dandy I think.”

“How will you go about it?” I wanted to
know.

“Well, we'll get a bunch of the neighbors to-
gether, talk the whole thine over and when we
are agreed on what we want we'll <0 to the
authorities with our plans. Then we'll keep on

°

By Cynthia Carter

aetion on the pattlefields, men who renee
ean be acomplished, men who have the £:

the future of their country and the ener ©

will to work for it. The “electors of Var

North are lucky to have the chance to y —

such a man.
4

ALKING to these men
sharper the enormous responsibility

_ brings soa .

the Canadian electorate in this coming’ ¢ |

What will the future offer to them under |
regime, just take a lok at-the ‘thirties, op”
think a change in label means any basics

in policy, look at Ontario and Quebec,

every piece of progressive legislation ha.
balked and opposed by the Tory Governm
those provinces: :

The battle of the next three weeks wilf
easily won, reaction is- on the offensiyi
demagogic speches of their proponents 7
airwaves, find ample “space in the daily

£
4
=|
F
|
;

;

They are old hands at the political fame =

able to dress their policies in toothsome on
for public consumption.

This means that the next three oe
be a period of the most intense actiyit
must bring our program to the people by
means at our command. This is 2 decisive

|

It will open up to our boys from overseas ;
people of Canada a period of Peace Jo

Security based firmly on a government if
labor will have a deciding voice. Or it wi

us to a period of reaction under a Tory doi

right wing coalition.
Labor’s voice can and must ‘be decisi
ing the next few weeks, support must be

around those candidates who base the

firmly on the perspective of a coalition =

democratic forces.

The boys in the front lines have Bet
value of cooperation. They are realizi
futility of the CCF isolationist policy, Ti
no desire to endure five years of privat.

suffering in order that they might possill
a CCF government as a reward for their |

This is the point which the returned mer
stand. They want something now wit
few months and years. Not the Brose
In the Sky When You Die’

lobbying until we get things underway
the way to get things done.”

Get a bunch of neighbors together:
over, do something about it. Not exact
barton Oaks or San Francisco: but da
fective!

THER groups of people throughout 0
Mee, in trade unions, discussion gre |

political parties are hard at work on
type of postwar planning. They are mak
that their elected representatives will

and women who have sympathy with t

and desires of the people. f
I was passing the Grandview Labor

sive Party hall on Hastings Siret the o 7

ning, when a paint-smeared, overalle

poked a head out of the door.

“Come on in and see what we "re Up

a familiar voice.

Inside four or five members of th |

were hard at work painting woodwork,

walls, polishing floors, making their ha :
They were about to G7

ally shipshape-
out for coffee and cake, and while the
they told me about their activities.
“The election campaign is next on tht
now the P.A- press drive is over,” said 0)”
wite. “We’re arranging meetings in Ot
so the neighbors can meet and get to]
candidate, Jimmy Thompson. We're.

canvass the riding, to. And soon as” th i

redecorated we'll have public meetings
cials here-”

“Ves, there certainly is a lot to te

said a shipyard stager who had been
peach-colored paint to the hallway. “Thi
is just about the most important ye
and it’s people like us who have to make |
are elected that have got what it takes
winning the peace is going to be even
portant than winning the war.”

There is so much to be done! Thai
opinion of the LPP branch members, ~
munity workers in Lynn Valley ,and m~
British Columbians who are realistical’
the tasks of the future rolling up the |
and diggings in.

Next week in this column I will tell ©
another organization which is dome 0
most important postwar jobs imaging
ing; discharged servicemen reestablish
in civilian life. ay E