S INCE the outbreak of War, a substantial short- age of adequate Housing has existed in British Colum- bia cities and municipalities. Thousands of- workers who crowded to the province’s cities and towns to meet the man- power requirements of mush- rooming B.C. war industries found a deplorable lack of fa- cilities to meet the growing population. Workers were crowded into slums. into the blighted areas, lived in gar- #ges and cellars. This was to be expected, during the early years of the war, for British Columbia, in its new role as a primary industrial area, with its giant shipyard amd air- eraft industries, and new con- centration of workers in allied industry, was ill suited to meet the sudden influx of popula- tion. But with thousands of ser- vicemen returning home, Brit- ish Columbia faces a housing problem which stands as an in- dictment of the governments, both municipal and provincial. Every day new hundreds of servicemen and repatriates are streaming into the cities of this province. Headlines in- form us that “2500 Seaforths Arrive in Vancouver,” “2,000 Returned Men Arrive on Sun- day,” and although we are happy to see ‘that the men who fought so courageously against the fascist enemy over- Housing - B. C.’s One Problem government has not done about any number of provincial ques- tions. The people of British Colum- bia, however, have been insist- ent in their demands for hous- ing. The trade union move- ment, realising that the Coali- tion government would not act to meet its responsibilities un- less subjected to ‘pressure, took the lead in pressing for hous- ing plans. The B.C. Conference on Postwar Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, held: in Van- couver on March 11 and 12, 1944, supported by 144 organ- izations representing 150,00 citizens, urged action on the provincial government. The “5,000 Homes Now” committee in Vancouver, under the lead- ership of prominent trade unionists, urged action on the government. Hundreds of ap- peals from many organiza- tions, representing a complete cross section of the province’s poulation urged action on the provincial government. The Labor-Progressive Party, heeding growing indications of a critical Situation, con- stantly urged action upon the provincial government and all demands have been met by Seas are now back home, a gnawinge fear remains, promp- ted by the question “Where will they live?” NOWLEDGE of the housing shortage is not newly ac- quired. In January, 1948, the Housing Comittee of the Pro- vineial Postwar Rehabilitation Council handed down a report which stated. “The evidence placed be- fore the Council in all the principal centers of British Columbia reyealed a serious shortage of suitable housing, apart from abnormal cendi- tiens .of congestion due to war activities.” This report pointed out, in handing down -recommenda- tions, that the | initiative in finding a solution to the grave housing problem -rested with the provincial government. As is usual with government | reports that pose -embarras- * ing solutions to questions as pressing as housing, this report entitled the “Summary -of Recommendations contained in the Interim Report (1943) .and Supplementary Report (1944) of the Postwar Rehabilitation Council,” was handsomely bound ‘by the King’s Printer in Victoria, and stored in stock- rooms. in Victoria, to be avail- able upon demand by -any citi- zen wishing to know what the PACIFIC ADVOCATE—PAGE 12 BEER B umber complete silence. As the situ- ation grew into proportions of a crisis, LPP = spokesmen, through press and platform, ealled upon the Coalition to meet Its responsibilities to the citizens of British Columbia and take the initiative in launching a housing scheme in order to cope with the expect- ed influx of population upon the completion of hostilies. HE Hart-Maitland Coalition, shirking its responsibilities, offered no constructive lead. Housing is a question about which the Coalition was ais valuable as the Great Stone Face. No number of about stable government, sound planning, substantial reserves nor any number of flamboy- ant election promises can wipe out the record of callous in- sensibility to the people’s needs that has been the practice of the Coalition Government. The unalterable fact remains that British Columbia has a woeful lack of housing to -meet the still increasing needs of its citi- zens. Our servicemen return- FOR YOUR EMPTY statements ~ by Fred Wilmot ing from overseas are con- fronted with the probem of having no place to live, and no promise of a_ place to live. Thousands of British Columbia citizens are living in rabbit- Warren tenements, in slums, and in condemned ~ housing, largely because the provincial government has offered no strong lead to meet the hous- ing demands of the province. The record states that in spite of a clear knowledge of the housing requirements of this province, a kmowledge that dates back to exhaustive re- search work done by the pro- vincial government through committees three and four years ago, the Coalition’s record in housing remains blank. Municipal governments have not been slow to take advant- age of the Coalition inaction as a means of excusing their own inactivity in meeting housing demands. Vancouver’s civic government gives a clear ex- ample of the local results of provincial irresponsibility. While it has long been recog- nized that Vancouver faced a shortage of 25,000 housing units to meet its requirements, and that the city was faced with OTTLES . THEY ARE URGENTLY NEEDED! The quantity of bottled beer which can be made available to the public is directly affected by the number of empty beer bottles which are returned to the consumer. beer bottles now exists. this condition and ensu bottled beer by return A definite shortage of empty You-can help to alleviate re the future supply of ing empty beer bottles promptly to any of the addresses listed below: YOU WILL RECEIVE 25< PER DOZEN IF YOU DELIVER THEM TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDRESSES: 1445 Powell St. 1040 Hamilton St. 2700 Yew St. 115 E. Second Ave. 6 E. Second Ave. 608 Main St. SATURDAY, OCTOBER the return of 25 men, the civie ar been satisfiel ‘to meet the demand Much. of the blay Vancouver’s ‘hous: has been laid at the civic authorit must also be LeCg, in failing to offer ; ive lead by taking — the burden of ho. the provincial goye | contributed to the j, of the city’s housir - Postwar Re: Council to the pror ernment left no q@. where the. respon: a) housing provisions 7) report pointed out. perience has demon;,; public measures in ea housing have inya proved public healt | ale. . . . A housin | must now be. tted 7 larger setting and ~ garded as an exped lieve unemployment, community, on the available facts 4 : judgment it is ne comunity developm j the provincial ¢ may give leadership j There have been | of real difficulties {| fered hindrance to | of the housing prob | a housing need of | than 20,000 new & fronts. British Colw’! cation of building A would not permit #'° of more than a thi number. Other — which previously = the government in | for housing: manpe | ber, building tile, a { their way to solutig The mass displa *| workers from -war. ; which they were : : government decree §[ available a new © eg priority demands o dustries which ate ; available stocks of f_, other building mat § likewise declined. 7: of building materials ;; power’ have in the -¥ two major obstacles - { ing of any large-sca. program, these two) not represent the ir able barriers that th’ the past. Other = 4 financing, allocation 4 ty, tax adjustments § dwellings, and -civie can be met by bold ai { action ‘by ‘the provi ernment, in coopers fj civic authorities, e i IHE people of Briti F bia. are demane action today. Ever rural and urban, reg | income, is .entitled 4c home. This fact must | nized by any gf which purports to hee is demands of the peo’ a fact has ben ignore Coalition _governmel as solace in inaction, th? while the .Coalition b Continued - on Pa : See HOUSIN |