Page Bie

ers and see the dedication of Labor’s Victory Pylon.

ay Day

@

THH B.C. LUMBER a

May 3, 1943

Parade Huge Success

ds of Vancouver citizens gathered to see and participate in one of the greatest May Day parades and rallies ever held in this
ity. wane een ee freeride Tat ‘Cambie Street Grounds and marched to Brockton Point Oval where thousands of people were gathered to hear speak-
fae Hod The keynote of the parade was, “Back the Attack—Everything for the Offensive!” and all slogans and

ity of all democratic people to speed the defeat of fascism at the earliest possible moment. : s : ;
ee enthis st ne parade aaa United Nations Section carrying the flags of the United Nations, lead by Chief Joe Mythias Capilano, carry-

i dian Flag and followed by costw 1 a
ag ae aeisepinclading the Aircraft Workers, International Woodworkers of America, Boilermakers,

and other groups.

One of the major attractions was

tati f£ each country bearing their flags. Thirty-three oraginzations in all were represented, with
SEALS eee ae i Dock and Shipyard Workers, and many National

the presence of the famous Esquimalt Naval Band, whose ovation was equalled only by that received by the Veterans

of the MacKenzie Papineau Battalion and their banner, “Voluntarios de la Libertad.”

b ARMY, NAV:

Y JOIN LABOR IN MAY DAY DEMONSTRATION—Vancouver’s fourth war-|

= ‘a

ime May Day parade, coinciding

with Canada’s Fourth Victory Loan, presented a striking picture of solidarity as labor and military leaders joined in stressing

the part of preduction in winning the war.

Picture.shows the crack Esquimalt Navy Band in the foreground, and in the back-
ground the labor pylon, itself symbolic of the united effort of fighting men in uniform and in overalls.

Labor's Victory Pylon was dedi-
eated by Archbishop Sir Francis
Heathcote and Alderman Jack
Price and labor has pledged itself
to keep the flame which is signifi-
cant of unity of purpose burning
until Fascism is defeated.

Pat Sullivan, Vice-President of
the Trades and Labor Congress of
Canada, who was to be the feature
speaker, was unable to be present
due to illness. His message to
the workers of Vancouver will be

~ found on the editorial page of this
paper.

“The creation of disruption and
disunity among the United Na-
tions is’ the worst type of trea-
son, and the best sort of aid for
the enemy,” said Hugh De Lacey,
president of Washington Common-
wealth Federation, and a city coun-
“cillor of Seattle.

“A little band of such dis-
rupters has chosen the present
moment to try to switch this war
into one against the Soviet
Union, by agitation on behalf of
two Polish spies,” he charged.

“Another guch, an Alaskan priest,
has said that we should seize Si-
_ berian bases from which to bomb
. Japan, and W, R. Hearst through
his editorials would have us be-
lieve there is only a Pacific war,

and its one between the Yellow
Race and the White Race, thus
ignoring the chief Nazi enemy.”

eee

“This is the worst type of Axis-
serving disruptive propaganda,”
said De Lacey.

“Tt is obvious this war is not
a racial war .. . that Js the Hitler
line, but the amount of race hat-
red, of anti-Semitism that is still
desseminated unchecked, indicates
that the people of North America
are still not fully alive to the ob-
jectives and purposes of this war,”
he said.

wee

“There is no inconsiderable
danger that Pacific Coast cities
of Canada and U.S. may be
bombed from Japan or the
Aleutians,” he said, “and this
may be made the occasion of

diverting our forces into the
Pacific arena.”
“Our line should be there is

only one war... against the Axis,”
he declared.

eee

De Lacey condemned various
reactionary groups in the U.S.
who first goaded labor into re-
volt by obstruction of action on
grievances, and then made at-
tempts to suppress the workers
entirely.”

“There were anxious days after
Dunkirk,” Major-Gen. GR.
Pearkes, V.C., G.O.C.in-chief, Pa-
cific Command, told the assem-
bled thousands, “We had no tanks,
few guns, very little equipment
of any kind, and an invasion seem-
ed imminent,

“Then the tanks and guns and
other equipment began to roll
in, and I can assure you those
soldiers thanked from the bot-
tom of their hearts those who

worked night and day to deliver

the goods.

Paying tribute to labor as hav-
ing been “always the champion
and fighter for freedom,” Gen.
Pearkes said:

“We who fought in the last war
may have failed in the peace we
were striving for, but this time
we will see the show through.”

The huge crowd also heard

a charge that production of

P.B.Y. bombers at Boeing Air-

craft of Canada Ltd, is ten

months behind schedule and that
the 54 already built have been

“rejected” for an eight degree

list.

Elgin, Ruddell, shop steward of
Aeronautical Lodge No. 756 in
Boeing Aircraft, introduced a
three point resolution to the as-
sembly which was passed unnai-

mously.

“It is a national scandal that
Ralph P. Bell and the company
should close our plants,” he said.

“Bell and the management, know
that for eight months we have
been trying to negotiate an agree-
ment which includes rest periods,”
he declared.

“Now, on these three points, I
am asking this meeting to call
for a Royal Commission to investi-
gate production in this plant:

“First, that the production of
P.B.Y. bombers is 10 months be-
hind schedule.”

“Secondly, that the 54 already
built have all been rejected for
an eight degree list.”

“Thirdly, that the just de-
mands and grievances of the
workers have been allowed to
fester for these many months,
preventing the workers throw-
ing their full weight into pro-
duction.”

There was no dissenting voice
to this demand for a Royal Com-
mission, The resolution will be
sent to Prime Minister Mackenzie
King.

Text of tHe message to the
“Big Four” of the United Nations
was as follows:

Great May Day Victory Parade,
Vancouver, British Columbia, rep-

resenting the united people of Brit-
ish Columbia send you warm May
Day Greetings. We pledge to carry
Canada’s Fourth Victory. Loan over
the top; to supply ships, tanks,
guns and planes which will assure
the successful invasion of Europe
and Victory in 1943. We pledge
our ardent support to the leaders
of the Allied Nations in maintain-
ing the unity so essential for vic-
tory and post-war reconstruction.
Forward to Victory in 1943.

The message to General Mc-
Naughton read:

Twenty-five thousand war-work-
ers of Vancouver, British Colum-
bla, celebrating May Day Victory
Parade send you and your men
warmest May Day Greetings. We
salute our Canadian forces in Brit-
ain who await the hour of attack.
To them, through you, their com-
manding officer, we pledge to keep
the ships, planes and guns rolling
off the production lines, to speed
the dagger into the heart of Ber-
lin. bese

Forward to Allied invasion of
Europe and Victory in 1943!

A wire introduced by Fergus
McKean was also endorsed by
the meeting, requesting Premier
Mackenzie King to intervene in
the Boeing situation by reopen-
ing the plants and ordering an
investigation into the workers’
grievances,