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LEFT TURN!

A Column For
WAR VETERANS

-- by Jack Philips

UHURU TT

is only by being neutral in politics that the organization
ean be of much yalue to the community.” This was the opinion
pressed by the Lieutenant-Governor of B.C. when he recently
jressed the West Point Grey branch of the Legion.

If the statement means that the Legion should not become the

pendage of any political party or group, we agree. If it means
it the legion should not bar any member because of his political
fliations, ditto. But if the statement means, as some would have
believe, that the Legion should have nothing whatsoever to do
[ch anything connected with politics, then we disagree.
Actually, the whole question hinges on a definition of politics.
| we see it, politics is the science of government. In Canada,
S itics means the constant play and interplay of class forces and
i itical parties who are seeking power. To adopt a simon-pure
ijtude and say “our organization will remain over and above
politics”? means to adopt a blind alley course.

When homeless veterans took over the old Hotel Vancouver
sy were putting political pressure on the government. It was fear
‘the political consequences that made Ottawa convert the hotel
io a hostel so quickly.

When organized veterans joined with organized labor to lobby
Victoria, they joined forces to put political pressure on the
>inet and the MIiLA’s. .

Nationally, the Legion is 300,000 strong. This explains why
gion representatives are given a courteous hearing at Ottawa.
hb government, whatever its complexion, can afford to ignore
2 representations of such an organization. This also explains why
my and Liberal machine-men have tried to make inroads into
= Legion, to use it as a vote-catching apparatus.

The Legion must continue in its non-partisan role, and must
rther strengthen its ties with organized labor. Organized veterans
Bd organized labor between them include in their ranks the best
d largest part of our industrial population. Marching together
fy can be a tremendous power in the nation, to make “a land
for heroes to live in.
MLIBVE ME, ITS TRUE j

At a recent conference in Vancouver the minister of recon-
fuction and supply stated that it is difficult to establish contact
-ween the government and the individual war veteran who needs
sriority in materials to build his home. Your reporter is willing
| supply him with the name of every such veteran in B.C., and
> address, provided the minister meets the cost of advertising,
qd takes out a sub to the P.T. for every member of the cabinet.
ast to give them the low-down on the spy scare and the question
wage increases!)

1

With the people in the post-war
struggles that lie ahead for jobs,
decent wages, homes and social
security? Or shall they disinte-
grate into an ineffective. beer-
drinking fraiternity, dominated
by the brass hats as was the ten-
dency in the years following the
last war?

There are reactionary forces
who want to see the latter course

MAURICE RUSH

between labor and veterans

egion and by veterans generally.

Labor Veteran Councils ‘Forge
Bonds For Unity In Action

y BERT MARCUSE, Executive Member, New Veterans Branch

“HERE is no Labor-Veterans Unity pro blem. A few reactionary elements who do not

speak for any but a small clique of disruptionists have been
by reckless use of lies and half-truths. Such individuals

ve been thoroughly discredited by the vast majority of the membership of the Canadian

trying to create a rift

The truth is, that here in tories of B-C—but as well they
itish Golumbia we have a de-|are taking a leading part in
.e of labor-veteran unity that| Union activities. They are be-
most heartening. Veterans re- coming shop stewards, a
= rs. Lo
ning to the trades ad tothe tee men, executive members

sic industries of this Proyince ee es ee
ers now——as their fathers were
during the war—as they were
before the war. They know, as
must every intelligent person,
that the fight today must be for
full employment—jobs for all.
So that while there is no prob-
plem of lLabor-Veteran unity—
there are lMabor-Veteran prob-
lems. That is why the Canadian
Legion and other veteran organ-
izations have officially support-
ed and participated in the joint
Labor Lobby in Victoria last
month. That is why the veter-
ans’ organizations of Vancouver
have joined with the leaders of
the AFL and CCL in setting up
a Labor-Veterans Relations Com-
mittee — a move which was
paralleled immediately after-
wards in Courtenay, and as will
probably be likewise implement-
in Gomox and Cumberland. The
value and importance of such a
step cannot be over-emphasized.
Such lLabor-Veteran commit-

2 joining the Unions almost
® a man. These vyeterans,
hough Jong months and years
© training and fighting, learned
Me thing above all—the value
teamwork, and organization—
imwork and organization which
peated the Fascist war ma-

Back home the veterans found
ait the fight for higher wages
@i better working conditions;
> fight to safeguard gains al-
idy won by the workers could
§st be carried on within the
aks of the Trade Union move-
mt. Here, the same teamwork
ed organization taught them in
i> army could be used to ad-
@nce their standard of living
the glorious postwar world
fy had been taught to expect
their right—and which they—
d all Canadian. workers so
hly deserve. These veterans
2 not only joining their unions
mm the woods, the mills, the
nes, the fisheries and the fac-

\CIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE 3

tees can deal promptly with pos-
sible misunderstandings and
grievances which may arise,
thereby promoting harmony and
co-operation between Labor and
Veteran bodies, so many of
whose interests are held in com-
mon. An organization like this
can go a long way towards ex-
plaining the attitude of labor to
veterans.

On March 29, the Vancouver
Labor-Veterans Relations Com-
mittee is calling a delegate con-
ference which will be attended
by delegates from union locals
and veterans groups from the
Greater Vancouver area.. The
conference will study labor-vet-
éran problems and plan for ways
and means of furthering the
well-being of veteran and work-
er alike through united action
on their common problems.

This is a great step forward—
a step which is a happy augury
for the unity of the working
peoples of Ganada—a step which
should be duplicated everywhere

in Ganada where veteran and
labor bodies can unite in the
common: interests of their mem-
berships. .

most jloudly against

is the future of the veterans’

Veterans Must Find Allies In
Labor Ranks For Security Fight

By MAURICE RUSH, Ex-P.O.W., Provincial Organizer, LPP

HE coming Legion Convention will be the most important gathering of veterans
since the end of the war. Many problems affecting returned men and women will be
discussed and resolutions on veterans’ views will be passed.

Which way will the veterans go? What

These are the key questions veterans must ask of themselves. Shall their moyement join

movement?

followed. here are those who
fear the thousands who are pour-
ing into the Legion from the
armed services. These reaction-
ary circles who take their lead
from right wing political circles
and big business associates,
would isolate the veterans from
the other progressive sections of
the population and set veteran
against labor.

Every forward-looking citizen
welcomed the splendid unity
which labor and veterans show-
ed in the recent labor lobby. The
large number of veterans dele-
gates acted in their own interest
when they backed the demands
for the 40-hour week, minimum
wage laws. holidays with pay,
ete.

Since the labor lobby an in-

creasingly strong campaign has

been conducted by reactionary
elements against cooperation be-
tween labor and returned men.
Under the guise of ‘keeping the
Legion -out of politics”. attempts
are made to keep the veterans
from taking effective action to
solve the many economic and
social problems they are faced
with. Some of those who ‘shout
““nolitical

Veterans Fight

For Homes Now
By W. S. E. MORRISON

Housing will be one of the
burning issues coming before the
Legion Convention.

There is an acute Housing
Shortage. The war workers, and
what a splendid job they have
done, bought war bonds and small
plots of land. Numbers of ship-
yard workers from the Prairies,
loggers from Ontario, fishermen
on the Coast, coutious and
thrifty, started the idea of
small holdings, hoping at some
time after the cessation of hos-
tilities, to erect thereon a habi-
tation. Few have been able to
do so, and in addition many are
now unemployed. The returned
man, veteran of this war, who
is also a worker, looks first for
a job and then a home near his
work. Their problem in this in-
stance is the same.

How many are sitting with
their feet under their own tables,
hearing the rain pattering on
their own roofs, watching their
wages being supplemented by
the steady growth in their own
kitchen gardens. All they ask for
are simple pleasures and the sat-
isfaction of security. It will be
a great day when our benevo-
lent, paternal government hark-
ing back to the pioneer char-
acteristic, says, “Brother, here
is lumber to build a home, ac-
commodating you in your per-
manent employment, a roof un-
der which you may raise your
family, something tangible that
you may cherish and battle for.
That is what we are going to
demand at the forthcoming Pro-
vincial Conference of the Cana-
dian Legion BESL.

action” are themselves closely
associated with the old line
parties.

Being a veteran I know why
over a thousand returned men a
month are joining the Legion. It
is not because they want bigger
and better smokers. [It is pri-
marily because the veterans
feel they can find security by
sticking together in an organiza-
ation. They join the Legion be-
cause in it they see the medium
through which their interests
can best be advanced. The aver-
age veteran feels that through
organization he can get a squar-
er deal for, himself.

Just look at it this way. The
veterans need jobs, homes and
social security. Why shouldn’t
they join forces with others who
are working for the same things?
In other words, join hands with
allies in the fight for the things
we need and to which we feel en-
titled. We certainly did not ob-
ject to the Russians and Ameri-
cans giving us a hand in the job
we shad to do overseas. Why not
look around now for those who
can give us a hand in the job we
have to do here—that of winning
security.

This then brings us to the
question: Where can the vets
find allies to help them get jobs,
homes and social security? Well,
organized labor has similar ob-
jectives. Labor wants full em-
ployment; so does the veteran.
Labor wants social security leg-
islation; so does the veteran. La-
bor wants a housing program; so
does the veteran. Then why not
work together for these things?
Isn’t it the most natural thing in
the world? :

Those who raise the cry of
“politics” are laying down- a
smoke screen. What they actual-
ly mean is: “don’t have anything:
to do with labor”. No one is sug-
gesting that the Legion should
go into politics. That is not an
issue. Those who oppose veteran
cooperation with labor are doing
a disservice to the returned men
because they are lessening the
fighting chance of getting se-
curity. It is just as if you were
left holding a position against
overwhelming odds and much
needed reinforcements were fool-
ishly withdrawn.

The veterans would be well ad-
vised to reject such a course. The
overwhelming majority of vets
are workers, farmers, small
business and professional people.
Our problems are Canada’s prob-
lems; we should join forces with
all those groups who can add to
our strength to win a decent
postwar future.

Tune In
| Agnes Smedley, noted author
and authority on Chinese af-
fairs, will speak over CBR
... 1130 on your dial, on Sat-
urday, March 16, at 4:45 p-m.
Her subject will be “This
Week.”

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1946