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PACIFIC ADVOCATE

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PEOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS

Editor

Ph
C. A. SAUNDERS ar

MA rine 5288

The Road Abed

CANA's Federal Election is over. The Tory bid

' for power in alliance with the pro-fascist
Quebec Nationalists has been defeated. The Mac-
kenzie King Government has been returned to
power with a slim majority dependent upon the
support of right-wing Quebec Independent Liberals
and Independents.

Commenting on thé re-election of the King
forces, Tim Buck, in a post election’ statement,
pointed out that “In fact with his precarious major-
ity in the new House of Commons resting on the
Quebec Independent Liberals, with a strengthened
Conservative opposition in the House and with the
absence of a powerful labor Bloc, there is every
indication that King will move to the right.

That is precisely the danger. The vacillating
character of the King administration has been
amply demonstrated on several occasions. The
counting of the soldier vote may still further weaken
the shaky majority which King now holds.

While the outcome of the election gives some
ground for satisfaction, the lack of a strong bloc of
labor representation preferably with representation
within the government itself, is a serious weakness.
In this respect Canada is one of the most backward
of the industrialized countries of the world. Practi-
cally all of the liberated countries of Europe have
provisional governments which include strong labor
representation with from one to six Communist
cabinet ministers. Australia and New Zealand both
have labor governments; Britain for the past five
years has had a coalition government of Labor and
Conservatives.

In the American Presidential Elections twenty-
three trade union leaders were elected to the House
of Representatives and the Senate and many others
were elected with official trade union endorsation.
And although American labor is not directly rep-
resented in the Cabinet, it certainly played a decis-
ive role in the election of the administration and

consequently is in a position to influence govern-
ment policies.

- But what is the position in Canada? Although
Canada is one of the world’s most highly industrial-
ized countries with labor by far the largest single
group in-the population, this predominance is not
reflected in the governing bodies either federally or
Provincially. All provincial elections and the federal
election just concluded have resulted in failures for
labor to secure the representation it should. Candi-
dates of the LPP, CCF, independent labor men have
had very little success.

(Continued on Page 6)
PAGE 4 — PACIFIC ADVOCATE

ELMORE Philpott draws some conclusions in

his column this week which make it even
harder to understand the logic of his preelection
slate. Ol’ Bill commented on this in Short dabs
and drew attention to the ex-
tremely catholic nature of
his choice. It was a real mul-
ligan including everything
from Tories to Labor-Pro-
gressives.

This week, Philpott cor-
rectly points to the definite
leftward swing in the British
Columbia vote and draws the
conclusion, vigorously ad-
vanced by the LPP prior to
the elections, that unity and
electoral agreements would
have ensured labor at least
nine seats in this province.

This is typical, however,
of the average -daily press :
columnist, even when, as in Philpott’s case they
happen to fall into the liberal progressive camp.
Their own intellectual obscurity is bad enough,
but when they build up a following among the
workers it becomes even worse, for their in-
fluence only confuses.

THE daily press has. a tremendous influence and

played a large role in beclouding the real
issues in this election. Reaching hundreds of
thousands of people across the country it was
able to build the “Socialism vs. Free Enterprise”
bogey into really frightening proportions to the

In P assing By C. A. Saunders

average reader.
how absolutely false the issue was.

Around Town By Cynthia Carter

HE polling booth for our block was right

across from the corner store and after the
neighborhood women voted they gathered there
to compare notes. There was little discussion of
candidates. We talked about
“our guy” (Jimmy Thomp-
son, LPP candidate) and
“the others.”

Then when the results
came in, we stood around the
soft drink box, and talked
things over. We were feeling
a little bit bad because Ian
Mackenzie would be “repres-
enting” us in Ottawa, but we
knew, at least, that Ian
hadn’t been elected from our
working-class district. We
were pretty darned glad, too,
that the new government
wouldn’t give the Tories a majority.

“It could have been better, but it could have

been a lot worse,” somebody said, remembering
Ontario.

“Well, it’s all over but the shouting,” said
somebody else.

And that, of course, threw the floor open
for discussion. Because if there is one thing
we’re certain of, it’s that it definitely is not all
over. It’s just beginning.

“Tan made a lot of promises,” said one wo-
man. “Well, he better keep them. He talked
about family allowances and the government’s
fine policy for reestablishment of ex-servicemen.
That’s just dandy. But its just a start. We
want a lot more social legislation passed—and
quick.”

‘Tm going to write him a letter,” said a
smal] Ukrainian woman with a determined look
in her eye. “I’m going to tell him that I think
it’s time something was done to clear up the
slums in this town.”

“And I’d like to know what plans he’s made
for reconversion of wartime industries,” said
another. “My Mike is in the yards now, but we
don’t know from day to day...”

Everybody thought about this for awhile.

And I thought about the voter’s list we'd got in
the mail.

Looking down the list of occupations
was like reading a war industry’s payroll sheet.

The result of the elections show

However, in spite of vicicus Opposy,
Labor-Progressive Party has establishc,
as a definite political force in Canada)
up over one hundred thousand votes.

In British Columbia the 30,000 of
gained by the LPP in their first serious’
into the federal field is an accomplishme
proud of. It represents a lot of hard vi
is a splendid showing and a credit to oui)
Columbia party. It is also a base fo-#
work and this is: the point I am getting az

We have proven in this election ci
that if we can reach people with our prog}
policies we can win them in the thousan:

Labor pressure on the federal goverr:
going to be even more important from |
to offset the influence of the Tory gove::
of Quebec and Ontario and the right-wing |
M.P.’s from Quebec. |

The political tasks facing our paif

tremendous and we in this province will Be
election to face within the next twelve }

Our own press must reach thousands 3

people. There are hundreds of potential ;
among the thirty thousand odd voters wit
ported cur party in this election. We 1}
maintain contact with these supporters,
thousands into the party and increase the
and influence of our program and policies F
is no better medium of maintaining conta, :
cur own paper. Let us make our slogan t
voter a subscriber” and build a powerful ©;
to offset the distortion and confusion Sp: |
the daily press.

Shipyard worker, laborer, rivetter, war + {
war worker...

“Know what I think?” said the little ©
ian. “TI think we should keep on pestering
until we get some of the things done. tha
doing. Send them letters, tell them wh
want, and tell them when we like som
they’ve done, too.’

“And why stop with the government
tawa?” demanded somebody else. “The
civie election coming up in December. I: }
too soon to start thinking.” :

“Yeah — how about that vacant sp:
Prior? It’s made for a park and playe |
Maybe a community center, too. Now th
play there, catching pollywogs in the strea:
with a little bit of improvement . . 2?

k

~

sometimes think that too many women’s }

est in the government stops the day ¥
election. We can be terrifically partisan cf
the few weeks preceding elections, but aft.
returns come in we limit ourselves to critici
what “they” do, if we discuss things at all #
is not enough. In the United States, CIO u f
ists, through their PAC’s, carry on year- |p
lobbying. CIO workers make a point of 1¢
ing what’s going on in Washington, and re -
entatives are made aware of labor’s opinion 1
time a bill affecting labor goes before the H #

Here in Canada, we still have a long w: &
go in this regard. It’s up to those of us wh if
particularly interested in the political life o: q
country to arouse others to the importam }
standing at their representatives side, meta)
ically speaking, when he is making up his
how to vote,

Here in Canada we are inclined to know . )
about people like Clare Boothe Luce and Sei §
Vandenburg than we do about Solon Lowe o:
berta and George Black of the Yukon. Whi
one would deny that U.S. politics are mighty um
portant to the whole continent, sometimes
ties, like charity, begin at home. To redu:
to the simplest phase of politics, it’s time to; f)
thinking about Vancouver, although the | ac)
election is six months away. Time to start fi &
ing what’s needed in our city, and whe are ie
best men and women to Carry necessary.
through.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1945.