ACIFIC WAR END SEEN

Soviet Entry Will Speed |
Liberation Of Colonial —
Peoples From Japanese

The new Pacific war situation which developed three months ago with
the Soviet Union’s denunciation of her non-aggression,pact with Japan was

PEOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS
To. 41  SS> .

5 Cents | climaxed Wednesday when the USSR formally declared a state of war with

- NCOUVER, B.C., SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1945

the Japanese nation, completing the Allied ring of steel surrounding the
last remaining member of the once-powerful Axis  alliange: Announce-

0

ral over the ruling of
at the strike was a legal
legates to the British Co-
ederation of Labor meet-
onvention in Vancouver,

resolution “vigorously
“ g the illegal action of
% ncial Cabinet in overrul-
ij Wartime Labor Relations
a nd declaring the strike
| and requested the Na-
lf vartime Labor Relations
> “re-establish its provin-
#rd’s authority to admin-
- 1003 in this Province.”
solution, one of the heavy
of resolutions passed at
ss termed the “most suc-
trade union convention
this Province,’ pointed

= 's preamble that the Fed-

s7ernment had established
= tiation board under PC

deal with -the Can Co.
: that the administrator
%.2d by the authority of the
@ had declared the strike
2, 1d that the provincial Cab-
-thout authority from the
/3 had in the ninth day of
ke had declared it to be

: 2

us further moved in the
pon that telegrams, stating
hivention’s decision, would
to Acting Premier E. C.
| the Wartime Labor Rela-
-soard at Ottawa, and to
@ nt Mosher of the CCL.

NITY, PAC
of the most widely debated
(ons at the convention
] resolution calling for
eal unity between the
‘Progressive Party and the
‘The. motion, which was
by the overwhelming vote
_to 22, was opposed by a
faction ‘of the convention.
ssembled. delegates, recog-
the need:for a united front
or in the crucial period to
accepted the ‘resolution
instructed the executive of
aderation to approach “the
olitical parties speaking in
pame,of Gabor, namely, Co-

ivt. Act, Labor Unite

# -esting an alleged coup de etat, which it was charged
sments of the Coalition Government Cabinet in Vic-
_| -formed in declaring the strike of the American Can

the Wartime Labor Relations

operative Commonwealth Feder-
ation and Labor-Progressive Par-
ty.’’

._-The-convention-went, on-reeord
as proposing that the influence of
the trade union movement be uti-
lized in such a manner that the
support of the labor movement
will be centred on one candidate
in each provincial or.federalelec-
toral constituecy. While not com-
mitting the trade unions to the
support of a single party, it per-
mitted labor’s endorsation of an
“individual candidate meriting the
support of labor.”

In recognizing the need for con-
tinued political action; the con-
vention, after considerable debate,
passed a resolution which called
for the establishment of a Politi-
eal Action Committee of at least
three members “to organize and
direct a political action program
within the Federation” and _ to
“seek the co-operation of*the po-
litical action committees of the
Trades and Labor Congress and
Railway Brotherhoods.” It was
also decided that a ways and
means, or finance committee, be
established to raise additional
funds to adequately finance the
political action program.

“INVESTIGATE CMA”

A strongly worded resolution,
which ecaled for Labor Minister
George Pearson to conduct an
“inquiry into the activities of
the Canadian Manufacturer’s
Association and effect a stop to
the intimidation of this monopo-
listie organization against union
security.” The resolution, sub-
mitted by the Boilermakers’
Union, pointed out that unions
had in many cases found employ-
ers: willing to agree to full se-
curity’ but the CMA had inter-
fered to prevent the consumma-
tion of such agreements, and
charged the CMA with opposing

(Continued on page 8)
See B.C. FEDERATION

The overwhelming victory of the British Labor party
has cheered workers everywhere. Top: London dockworkers
give ‘‘V” sign. Bottom, left, Clement R. Attlee. Bottom,
right: Winston Churchill. -

@ An organization of veter-
ans threatened to take action in
moving to seize empty houses,
forming vigilante groups.

@ The Vancouver City Coun-
cil, pleading that there was. lit,
tle they could do as they had
“a gun at their heads,” moved
to approve the Wartime Hous-
ing 1000-home plan.

@ The British Columbia Fed-
eration of -Labor,
convention

meeting in
in Vancouver,
ed a resolution caling for pub-
licly administrated housing, price
ceilings, and the release of build-

pass-

Citizens Demand Counzcil
Broaden Housing Plans

Vancouver's housing situation was highlighted this week
by a number of significant developments.

ing materials, and protested the
segregation of veterans into se-
parate communities.

@The Citizen’s Rehabilitation
Committee, through Arthur W.
Cowley, secretary, caled for a
central housing authority.

e@ A mass meeting of citizens,
held in the White Rose Ballroom,
demanded a “housing czar” to
administer building materials
and ensure that such materials

(Continued on page 8)

ment was made simultaneous-
ly at both Washington and
Moscow, indicating that the
action had been discussed and
agreed on’ by Truman, Attlee
and Stalin during the Pots-
dam conference.

Soviet military action
against Japan brought an
immediate altering of the

entire Pacific war picture. The

most conservative opinion be-
lieves that the Red Army’s par-
ticipation means the shortening
of the war by weeks, perhaps
months. There will be less chance
that the Japanese. militarists
will be able to stage a “last
ditch” stand in Manchuria, while
the entire political picture in
China and the colonial areas of
the Far East is certain to be
affected by the. presence of
powerful Russian armies acting
as liberating forces.

Responsibility for the war ac-
tion was placed squarely at the -
door of the Japanese military-
fascists by the Soviet govern-
ment statement, text of which
read in part:

“After the defeat and capitu-
lation of Hitlerite Germany,
Japan became the only great
power that still stood for the
continuation of the war. The
demand of the three powers,
United States, Great Britain and
China on July 26 on the uncon-
ditional surrender of the Japan-

-ese armed forces was rejected by

Japan, and thus the proposal of
the Japanese government to the
Soviet Union on mediation in the
war in the Far East loses all
basis. .

“Taking into consideration the
refusal of Japan to capitulate,
the Allies submitted the proposal
to the Soviet government ot join
the war against Japanese ag-
gression and thus shorten the
duration of the war, reduce the
pumber of victims, and facilitate
the speedy restoration of univer-
sal peace. ;

“The Soviet government con-
siders that this policy is the only
means able to bring peace near-
er, free the people from further
sacrifice and suffering, and give
the Japanese people the possi-
bility of avoiding the dangers
and destruction suffered by
Germany after its refusal to
eapitulate unconditionally.

“In view of the above, the
Soviet government declares that
from tomorrow (August 9), the
Sovit government will consider
itself to be at war with Japan.”

War between the two countries
had been long expected as a

(Continued on page 7)

See HOUSING

See PACIFIC