Comox IM McEWEN 1 dation member of In- 61 Mine, Mall and orkers Union. ears fighting record Pade union movement , i, father of a family fighters who q in Spain, China, fi War II. pber of the National . Labor-Progressive kember of the Coun- ) viet-Canadian. Friend- Hember of Crippled Hospital Society. — ‘1 and tested fighter -of the common people »eaction. Saanich -LIAM B. WHITE yed an important role unemployed struggles lungry Thirties. ‘played tireless devo- fhe people’s interests as o2r for Saanich. Dyard worker and of the Boilermakers 2 «Shipbuilders Local Sident, of Saanich for Ss knows the problems > area. ling the crisis with a large scale program, they coul@ have-dene so many weeks ago when Can- ada’s Finance Minister Ilsley made it clear that unlimited erediits would be available for home construction programs provided the province set up a Previncial Housing Adminis- tration to enact the necessary legislation, and plan housing and slum clearance projects in ac- cord with the requirements as Jaid down by the NHA. But the Hart-Maitland team failed to take advantage of this over, even though government committees recomended the es- tablishment of a Provincial Housing Administration. The failure of provincial government action has held up large scale _-home construction. No wonder the Real Estate interests knew where to send their lobbyists. Victoria was the place to stop government action—the coali- tion offered a friendly ear — result: no homes. It should be clear to every person who wants government action on heusing that they wont get it through the reae- tionary coalition. The obstacle to large scale low-rental hous- ing has been the Tory-Liberal coalition, and if we are to have action the Tory dominated gov- ernmeni must be defeated on October 25. The Labor-Progressiye Par- ty has definite proposals for breaking the back of the hous- ing crisis. Wherever our pro- y Fight... Coalition Exposed posals are put forward they are widely accepted. ’ The LPP proposes that a provincial housing bond drive be launched to raise $80,000,- 000. This sum of money will build 20,000 hemes at $4,000 each. This is a practical propos- al. ON LABOR POLICY On the question of Labor legislation the Tory dominated coalition exposes most glaring- ly its reactionary character. The attitude of a government to labor is always a good in- dication of that government’s character. In whatever prov- ince or country a progressive government rules there you will find an enlightened attitude to labor. The coalition is frantically using Minister of Labor Pear- son’s record to cover up the lack of proposals for the post- war period. The program of the Coalition passes off the section on labor legislation by saying that B.C.’s record has been among the best in Can- ada. The significant fact is that the progra mmakes no mention what the coalition’s policy will be if re-electeL Where does the coalition stand on the 40 hour week, on a labor code embodying union security and collective bargain- ing? Where do they stand on outlawing company. unions? These questions they carefully by-pass. : A statement of provincial Conf. policy on these vital questions is important now that war is over. During the war our la- bor relations were handled through the Federal Govern- ment. The war is now over, and the authority over labor relations may revert back to the provinces. What then Hart and Maitland? What are your policies toward labor? For convenience’ sake you avoid announcing any policy. The reason is that you have the ear of the reactionary log- business people, and they are pressing you to “crack down on labor.” You are avoiding any commitments to labor be- cause your plans are io do the bidding of the big employers. It is no secret that the own- ers of industry in B.C. have been spending large sums of money lobbying the govern- ment to adopt reactionary la- bor policie.s The failure of the coalition to advance any con- erete proposals is proof that Hart and Maitland have ac- cepted their policy. ~ On each of the three vital questions raised in this article the reactionary policy of the coalition stands exposed. Hart and Maitland do not stand for industrial progress and jobs. They do not stand fer policies to meet our housing crisis. They stand directly opposed to the interests of labor. The coa- lition must: be defeated if B.C. is to go forward. 4 There Are ifferences By ALS. HE Labor-Progressive Party has put its position forward very clearly. It has fought - consistently to unite the progressive vote to stem the onslaught of reaction. The lessons of the immediate past have illustrated the correctness of this policy. In the provincial elections in Quebec, Ontario, in the federal elections, and now in Mani- toba, governments subservient to the dictates of monopoly capital have been elected because the progressive vote has been divided. Yet, in spite of these lessons, the CCF have consistently refused to sit down and discuss unity with the LPP. Their anti-unity stand has opened the door to reaction in the past, it threat- ens to do the same in the ap-_ proaching B.C. elections. The reason put forward by leading spokesmen for the CCF for their consistent refusal is that “there are fundamental differences in policy.’ Dorothy Steeves and other CCF spokes- men say, “We are a democratic organization, the LPP is not.’ That illusion can be dispelled right away. The Labor-Pro- gressive Party is set up on a strictly democratic basis. An examination of its constitution would reveal that to anyone -wishing to know and quote the facts. Just two quotes from Ar- ticle 5, entitled ‘Rights. and duties of members,” should suf- fice. Section one: “Eivery member of the party who is in good standing has the right and duty to partici- pate in the making and carry- ing out of all policies of the party and in the election of its leading committees as provid- . ed for in the constitution.”’ Section two: “Policies of the party are al- ways decided by a majority vote. Prior to a vote being taken, a full diseussion of the issue in question must take place, affording each member full opportunity for participa- tion in such discussion. “Following such discussion and vote, the decisions of the majority establish the policy of the Party, which then be- comes obligatory for the en- tire membership.” A full copy of this constitu- tion is easily attainable and should serve to kill this argu- ment once and for all. @ The LPP differs with the CCF conception of Socialism. The LPP does not agree that nationalization of industries— such as the Canadian National Railway — for instance — con- sttutes Socialism. This is the CCF conception. The Labor-Progressive Party states—and again I quote the constitution—‘Socialism is the ownership of the means of production, the abo- lition of the exploitation of common man by man, nation by nation, and race by race; the voluntary cooperation of the Canadian people with those of other lands striving for a world free from oppression and wars.” And again, in answer to the slander of use of undemocratic means: “Socialism will be ach- ieved only by means of the ex- pressed democratic will of the majority of the Canadian peo- ple. The Party rejects and re- pudiates any proposal to forc- ibly impose Socialism upon Canada against the will of the majority of her people.” @® However the issue in the coming elections is not “So- cialism vs Free Enterprise,” as both the Hart-Maitland Coali- tion and the CCF put it. Nor yet are the CCF putting for- ward a program for socialism. The Labor-Progressive Party - . For Unity Victoria ROBERT KERR @ As district organizer of the one-time Workers’ Unity League, took a leading part in the drive to industries. @ 15 years in the forefront of labor’s struggies for jobs and security—initiated organ- ization of the Nanaimo and Cumberland coal miners. @ Assisted in the organiza- tion of Victoria’s joint trade union conference—member of the United Brotherhood of Plumbers and Steamfitters. Alberni ALF DEWHURST @ Leading trade unionist in the sawmill town of Port Al-. berni, and one of the principal builders of the International Woodworkers of America. Member of the IWA_ District Couneil Board, and former busi- ness agent of Local 1-85, IWA. @ Labor and civic spokes- man, an outstanding exponent of labor unity in the Albernis, active in civie affairs and wide- ly kmown in the area as a fighter for progress. asks the CCF and all progres- sives to unite on common ground to fight for the imme- diate needs of the people. How- ever, in the fight for unity, it is necessary to have clarity. When the CCF says it is im- possible to have a housing pro- gram under capitalism they serve the interests of reaction by confusing the people and introducing a false issue. When the CCF put forward the slo- gan for a thirty-hour week when the whole labor move- ment is united around the de- mand for a forty-hour week they are guilty of opportunism and political irresponsibility; they weaken the cause of the labor movement. @ Yes there are differences and they cannot be hidden. In fact it is vitally necessary that they be brought out as part of — Continued on Page Four Forward British Col , ADVOCATE — PAGE 3 umbia . SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1945 unionize B.C.’s 4