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Bi-monthly Bulletin Published by The B.C. District Council, International Woodworkers of America, Affiliated to Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

Vol. XII. - No. 22.

VANCOUVER, B.C., MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1944

Broadway <> Printers 11d.

(330)

IWA ADOPTS 1945 PROGRAM

Delegates

Adopt

Constructive Program

AtlIWA Convention

VANCOUVER, B.C.—The Eighth Annual Convention of-the
IWA-CIO concluded in Vancouver last Saturday afternoon
with 243 registered delegates in attendance representing wood-
workers from Pacific to Atlantic, and from Alaska to California.
Unanimous support to President Roosevelt, continuation of the
IWA’s no-strike pledge, and approval and support of the Dum-
barton Oaks Conference proved the right of this convention
to be considered one of the most progressive in recent years.

A curious inconsistency of the convention was the reaction-
ary, undemocratic position taken in expelling two delegates
from the convention floor without trial for alleged political

beliefs—while delegates went

DARSHAN SINGH
SUPPORTS UNITY

Unity of the Nations as accom-
plished by Great Britain, USSR,
and the United States at the Teh-
eran Conference was hailed by the
IWA Convention as a mighty force
which must prove indestructible, in
a resolution on U.S. foreign policy
which supported fully the right of
the people of India to national in-
dependence.

‘The resolution also urged that
the State Department should af-
ford real labor participation in its

affairs, and also appoint labor at-
tehes to its embassies abroad.
Speaking on India, Darshan
‘Singh of Victoria told delegates
that no permanent peace would be
ble without her deliverance,
“Fascism and imperialism are in-
separable twins” he said, “with
one fifth of mankind in bondage,
‘under tyranny, must we keep quiet?
Are our children expendable for
a World War?” .
4 can be no permanent
eke one eo palatal
in world seething wit)
Darshan Vict
are mi the
safe or imperialism, whethr

on record for a program and
policies which can leave little to
be desired from the viewpoint of
achieving a speedy victory and a
lasting, secure peace.

Of the 41 delegates representing
B.C. Locals, only four, namely
George Mitchell, Stewart Alsbury
and Tom Kipp of New Westmin-
ster Local 357, and Tom Barnet
of Local 85, Port Alberni, sup-
ported the stand for expulsion
without trial, and continuation~ of
the political ban in the constitu-
tion,

The first resolution adopted
pledged full support to President
Roosevelt, Vic-Presidential candi-
date Truman in the November 7th
US, election, as well as endorsing
support to candidates pledged to
uphold FDR’s foreign and domes-
tie policies. Labor unity also re-
ceived the unanimous backing of
delegates in two resolutions, one
calling for a greater degree of co-
operation between CIO, AFL and
Railroad Brotherhoods; and the
other urging setting of a date and
place for early, holding of the
World Labor Conference, previ-
ously called for last June and
necessarily postponed on account
of the opening of the Second
Front.

Commendation of President
Philip Murray for establishing the
National CIO Committee to Abol-
ish Racial Discrimination, was ex-
pressed by the convention, which
at the same time condemned “any
form of racial or religious discrim-
ination as an evil characteristic
of our fascist enemies,” and re-
newed its pledge to carry on the
fight for protection in law and
in fact of the rights of any racial
and religious or minority group
to participate fully in our social
and political life.” “Any vestige
of Naziism which rears its ugly
form in our glorious democracy
must be immediately and deci-

(Continued on Page Two)

er it be imperialism of the Dutch,
French, Americans, British, or
what have you,” he deleared.

He pointed out the immense
market a free India with a raised
standard of living would provide
for Canada, and that, unliberated,
she would remain a fertile culture
spot for Fascist.propaganda of the

Japanese and others.

Karley Larson, president of the

Northern Washington District
No. 2, IWA-CIO, who made the
appeal to the Convention in re-
spect to the ruling of President
Lowery, who had ordered expul-
sion of three members from his
district for being members of the
Communist Political Association.
Delegates from four other dis-
tricts in the United States, name-
ly, districts 7, 9, 10 and 12, also
supported President Larson’s ap-
peal.

Frank Carlson,
Vice-President,
Of 1-71 Dies

Brother Frank Carlson, active
" member of the IWA since 1938,
and vice-president of Local 1-71
since December, 1942, passed
away Monday, October 23, at
| the age of 45.

Born in Korsnas, Finland. He
leaves a wife and family in that
country to mourn his death.

Frank Carlson arrived in Can-
ada some 18 years ago and
worked in the hard rock mines
and logging camps of British
Columbia for a number of
years. Following an injury re-
ceived while working at Brit-
annia Mine, Carlson, unable to
do manual work became active
in the Swedish Finnish Work-
ers Club and labor organiza-
tions in Vancouver.

The last few years he was
working at the Nordic News
Stand and for the WA Union in
charge of the mailing depart-
ment of the B.C. Lumber
Worker. ¥

He was buried at Ocean View
Cemetery, Monday, October 30.
Services were conducted at
Armstrong Funeral Parlors,
where Harold Pritchett, district
president, gave an appropriate
address outlining some of
Frank’s past life and the work
he has done. He also read the
union burial - service at the
grave side.

a

Convention Split On

Issue Of Unseating
Two U.S. Delegates

Despite the strong and united opposition of Districts No. 1
and No. 2, the two largest in the IWA and the most rapidly
increasing in strength and membership, William (Red) Wal-
lace of 2-46 Bellingham, and Ralph Nelson of 2-75 Lyman,
Wash., were unseated from the convention and ordered expelled
from their locals on the charge of being “(Communists” within
the meaning of Art. 1, Section 4-b of the constitution.

Original order of expulsion came in the form of a letter
from Worth Lowery, who’stated that on his interpretation of
the clause the Communist Political Association is the same as
the Communist Party mentioned in the section, and charged
the two members with belonging to the former. -

The local unions concerned re-©

fused to act on the president’s
ruling, ‘and -appealed to the con-
vention. Worth Lowery refused to
permit Karly Larsen, president of
District No. 2, to present the ap-
peal until-a threatened bolt of his
own supporters in the convention,
who favored the _twenty-minute
speaking privilege for Larsen that
had first been denied by Lowery,
forced him to reconsider his
ruling.

Wallace ‘and Nelson stood firm
on their denial that they were con-
nected with any organization cov-
ered in the constitutional clause.

“Thesé men are entitled to a
fair trial before a jury, as pra-
vided for in the constitution,” de-
elared Larsen. “This they have
never had, and this presidential in-
terpretation would deprive them
of their rights entirely.”

Despite similar and forceful
arguments by Harold Pritchett,
Nigel Morgan, and other delegates
of District No.'1,/the convention
upheld the president’s ruling on a
roll-call vote of 28,000 to 20,000.

Another division and spirited
debate followed. a motion to un-
seat the two delegates from. the
convention, which was. lost by
Districts 1 and 2, 26,000 to 21,000,
but the battle raged highest on a
motion from District No. 2 to elim-
inate the discriminatory clauses,
4b, 4-c and 4-d, from the constitu-
tion.

On Secretary Benedict pointing
out that the latter two sections
would grant membership to Nazis
and fascists, delegates told. him
and the president in definite terms
that their object was to prevent,
any member feared or disliked by
the executive being expelled sim-
ply on an “interpretation” declar-
ing him to belong to one of these
ideologies,

William “Red” Wallace from
Bellingham, Washington, one of
the delegates to’ the convention
who was unseated as a result of
Convention action. “Red” Wal-
lace is a charter member of the
IWA and has the unanimous sup-
port of his local union, which re-
fused to expel him at President
Lowery’s request.

(Continued on Page Two)

Ralph Nelson also a charter
member of the IWA and who was
also unseated from the Conven-
tion. Nelson, a member of Local
2-75 Lyman, Washington, enjoys
the full confidence of his local °
union. :