ee B.C. Chairman of the Labor-Progressive Party, in Ganadian trade union circles since he came he age of 20. = steadfast and hardy as the granite cliffs of his native Stonehaven, Scotland, has been a dom- to Canada lacksmith, Tom worked in shoeing forges, lumber and -eamps, CNR shops and auto construction, cand has well and favorably as an expert artisan in iron. 9, while an active member of the Socialist party of >) joined the One Big Union, and two years later com- . life work in the Communist Party of Canada as a “the farmer labor movement in Saskatchewan. He was “srst editors of “The Furrow,” the organ of the militant d while in Saskatoon organized Local 22 of the Inter- otherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop-forgers and Helpers. | *C.. PROBLEMS eee ue ‘iis an.intimate familiarity with the problems of British ‘orkers and farmers. Throughout his years of, ‘activity anion field in his role as labor organizer, he has gained _ knowledge of the workers needs, and a broad under- | the complex problems that face the working people. as led strikes against many reactionary employers, has ‘sented on labor councils and the executive bodies of “Unity League, which he rong into AFL unions, made tai ehacd ius suffered. the conimon ‘Tot of Communist Party Leaders = ;In the “Hungry “Thirties” ‘along with other proponents of Speech in Toronto, he spent one two-week sentence er, and in’ 1931 was sentenced to five years in Kingston --y under the infamous Section 98. He served thirty-two * -his sentence, being paroled as a result of the tremendous ~ :ure of farmers and workers for the release of eight ® . involved. In 1988 he was appointed to the Secretariat ' smunist International and lived in the USSR for the next ; + Later he was arrested by the RCMP and served eight - >Hull coneentration,.camp. recent federal election, Tom was defeated by a narrow reandidate for the federal. constituency of Yukon. ng and vigorous man, with a consistent record of labor and who has suffered for his belief; Tom McEwen will ictoria the wisdom and sagacity of his years of struggle x movement. TOM McEWEN Provincia] Candidate for: Vancouver-Centre MAURICE RUSH Provincial Candidate for Vancouver-Centre @ twenty-nine. years old, with twenty of those * years spent ir British. Columbia, is a MAURICE RUS! gress. Throughout his years in B.C., Maurice has been intimately associated with the trade union movement and progressive move- ‘ments of the people. 25 : > While employed in a cannery in the interior, Maurice recog: nized the deplorable condition of his fellow workers and led a strike in pratest which led to the establishment of a local of the cannery workers union in the Kamloops factory. This was the beginning of his activities in the trade union field, and at the same time he joined the Communist Party of Canada. Coming to Vancouver Maurice took part in the Longshoremen’s strike:and was elected to the Strike Committee. He became a, youth organizer and spent con- siderable time organizing progressive youth groups and was ‘active as an executive member of the Young Communist League. His trade union experience includes the organization of miners on Van- couver Island. He was also active in:the. Vancouver. Youth Council, the Canadian Youth Congress, and other progressive youth move- ments. : . : . : Maurice was among those young people who recognized the threat, contained in Japan’s imperialist expansion inthe East.° He picketed Japanese..ships, waiting to load cargoes of.-war material at Vancouver’s,-docks, and was -part-.of -the leadership: protesting the appeasement of Japan -at the expense of China.. ; : ANTI-FASCIST FIGHTER 2 ¥2 3 a ee et ie | Shortly after the outbreak of war in Europe,» Maurice became provincial: organizer of the Communist Party. He worked:in: this capacity until he joined the Army and was sent overseas: While fighting with the Canadian Army: in the .campaign =through:’ the lowlands; Maurice: was taken prisoner during ‘some ~very=:close fighting and was sent. to a German POW camp..... In. the camp Maurice saw first-hand the, brutality and callousness .ef, the, fascist soldiers.. Forced to, live under conditions of bare subsistence, seeing daily examples of viciousness on the part of fascist: guards,:.thé emaciatad bodies of fellow-prisoners, and the warped mentalities.of the German officers and men strengthened his hatred of fascism. VIGOROUS AND SINCERE ee ae Maurice recognized the need for the people tos intensify their fight against fascism and reaction, to move constantly forward by unflinching struggle against all forces who would reverse history and plunge the people of the world into poverty and exploitation. Through his face-to-face contact with reaction in its most’ flagrant form, Maurice became more firmly progressive in his beliefs and more determined in his struggle against reaction. Maurice Rush hss become hardened in the struggle. This young, vigorous and sincere fighter is well qualified to represent the interests of his constuency in Victoria. The people of Vancouver- Centre will not fail to recognize the contributions that Maurice‘ has made to the people’s struggle in the coming provincial elections. Ag ing the need for changes in Victoria, rc- Progressive Party ' rard with an extensive “The LPP believes that - ‘overnment in Victoria -*remier Hart has capi-’ | the tories jin.the coali- -ibor must -unite at the “weep the Tory-Liberal - from office and elect -aent comprised of all ; and progressive | che province, united in- essive coalition, for the -lfare of this province. _ program includes the | points: @ PGE RAILWAY: The. LPP proposes that its completion and extension be undertaken. NOW, as a provincial undertaking, and opposes all proposals to turn it over to the CPR or other private interests. The transportation needs of B.C. must not be subor- dinated to the interests of the barons of the CPR. ® EXTENSION OF HIGH- WAYS: In order to -assure the full realization of the wealth con- Po/TRIAL DEVELO P- ; he LPP demands con- »2ration of all state war -s for peacetime pro- >The implementation of *vincial Reconstruction dilitation Committee re- itions for peacetime 1 must be immediately to provide the 100,- 1eeded by British Colum- OW. Boeings Aircraft speedily reconverted to iction of truck and bus refabricated houses, re- and other commodi- immediately tained in provincial natural re- sources, the LPP proposes that the Provincial Government deve- lop a network of highways and roads to provide access to the naturally rich interior. € MAINTENANCE OF SHIP- BUILDING: Shipbuilding must be carried forward as a peace- time requirement, for Canadian exports. The perspective of a 500 ship Canadian Merchant Marine, Canadian - manned, Canadian - maintained, makes the preserva tion of shipbuilding and allied industries a vital requirement to postwar Canadian security. Excerpts From LPP Provincial Program | ® HOUSING: The construc- | tion of 20,000 new homes for B.C. ithe immediate unfreezing of re- to all indus- quired materials of building materials; promo- tion of new material such as plastics and other fibre products used in modern construction, low- rent communal block construc- tion, development of community health, and other social facilities. A compre- hensive slum clearance program, the construction of cheap houses in segregated areas to avoid the creation of slum conditions, rigid adherance to building standards in all new construction. recreation, clinical @® LABOR SECURITY LEGIS- vineial Labor attacks of monopoly capital upon wage standards and trade union organizations of the people. Un- ion security and compulsory col- lective bargaining, together with fixed minimum wage. Exten sion of social security and na- a tries engaged in the production @ EDUCATION: Free text books for all students up to and -in- cluding Grade 8. Establishment of day-nurseries and kindergar- ten schools for pre school age children. Free medical, dental, optical treatment. = tional: health- legislation to cover all workers: The outlawing of all forms of company union and stiff penalties for all employers who promote, foster, oraid in any way the formation of such un- ions or associations. “Establish- ment of ‘the: 40-hour = working week with no reduction in take- home pay. Equal pay for equal work regardless of sex, nation- ality, age or other reason ad- vanced for preservation of un- @ HYDRO-ELECTRIC . DE- VELOPMENT: “LPP proposes that ‘the government take over the entire resources of the prov- ince, including those at present operated by-: private enterprise, notably the BCE, and operate them as publicly owned enter- prises. a 2 LATION: Enactment of a Pro-| Code to curb the} just practices. e SOCIAL WELFARE, HEALTH AND EDUCATION: Support. of a National Health In- surance scheme, clinical and pre- ventative services to aid in the prevention and treatment of TB, VD, mental illness, cancer, sili- cosis, with special attention and services to rural and remote areas, Minimum monthly pension cof $40.00 per month to all blind persons 16 years or over, and greater technical training facili- ties for blind, deaf, and others suffering from permanent physi- cal non-compensable disability. e REHABILITATION OF SER- VICEMEN: Practically nothing has been done by either federal or provincial governments. The Hart-Maitland Coalition govern- ment has been no exception. LPP proposes measures to assure pro- per housing to returned men, measures to prevent use of ve- terans as tools to break down trade unions and supply a source of cheap labor. Vocational train- ing, hospitalization, pensions, un- iversity education, assured through adequate provision by both federal and provincial gov- ernment, Defeat The Tor — PACIFIC ADVOCATE iberal ition SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1945.