Meeting in regular executive

session, District Number 1, In-
ternational Woodworkers of Am~
erica gave consideration to the

denial of citizens’ rights, under).

special Order-in-Council P.C. 6444.

The Canadian Prime Minister,
Mr. Mackenzie King disclosed on
March 18, that this Order-in-Coun-
ceil P.C, 6444, had been passed in
secret, last October, 1945. The
order, under the terms of which
the traditional rights of habeus
corpus is being arbitrarily denied
‘was protested and Interational
Board Member Dalskog and Dis-
trict Secretary Melsness were
elected as delegates to represent
the IWA at a special emergency
council meeting for democratic
rights, The meeting was held last
Wednesday night and charged the
official secrets’ act with violating
the cardinal principle that a per-
son is innocent until he is proven
guilty and constitutes gross viola-
tions of the most elementary prin-
ciples of justice.

The Vancouver Labor Council
(CCL) meeting in regular session
sharply denounced the Federal
Government in pursuing the in-
vestigation into espionage charges
in arresting prominent Canadian
nationals and others and holding
incommunicado without right to
legal council.

With the ink scarcely dry on
the surrender documents, people
of this country can’t help but feel
the gravest concern over the hap-
penings in the last few weeks, as
we have not yet begun to tackle
the problems of building the new
happier postwar world for which
our fighting forces gave all they
had. Yet, we are in the midst of
a war hysteria that is unsur-
passed, with the atmoic energy
issue the center of the picture.
Resolution Number 33, adopted in
the 9th Annual Convention of the
International Woodworkers of
America, called for prompt steps
to deal resolutely and independ-
ently with both the International
and domestic problems created by
the release of atomic energy. To
enter now into any such atomic
armament race with other powers
would destroy any hope of Inter-
national cooperation and could
only end in disaster for the
world. The resolution called for
the establishment of suitable In-
ternational machinery to bring
the use of atomic energy under
world wide direction. The vast
powers which are now being lib-
erated for industrial, scientific
and medical purposes must not
become the tool of monopoly but
must remain in the hands of the
people, The resolution urgently
recommended immediate negotia-
tions between United States, Brit-
ain and Russia to agree on world
wide atomic energy controls and
extension of the agreement there-
after, to the United Nations with
full authority vested in the United
Nations to outlaw the use of at-
omic energy for military pur-
poses; to control the atomic en-
ergy and material production
everywhere in the world with au;
thority to inspect, investigate and
police and the improvement of
the present machinery of the Uni-
ted Nations in order to make the
above controls effective and to re-
duce or eliminate all International
military rivalry,

‘The spy scare in Canada is be-
ing blown up to fantastic propor-
tions with the abvious aim of

THE BC LUMBER WORKER

Page Three

No Time For Rumors

During the war years we were cautioned at every corner to catch
and kill any and. all rumors which might be detrimental to the war
effort, or might give assistance to the enemy. Now that the union has
entered into negotiations for the revision of our agreements we must
make certain that we do not allow rumors to weaken and divide our
forces. In some cases already the employers have effectively used
this weapon to their advantage in stifling the growing determination
of the workers to fight for the establishment of decent wages, hours
and working conditions, which is the only hope for a prosperous post-
war Canada.

We have heard of one camp where, due to company inspired
rumors, the crew had already, in their own minds, decided what the
outcome is to be as regards the present negotiations. As a result they
Were not too enthusiastic about the Fighting Fund. The facts are
that the fund is now the most important step. Any number of similar
cases could be cited but this is not required at this time. Our mem-
bership must be on the alert. Accept nothing unless it is officially
released through the District Office to the Local Officers. If you

hear rumors hunt them down and destroy them.

LONDON—More. than 70 Brit-
ish Labor Members of Parlia-
ment have signed a statement
demanding postponement of the
Greek elections scheduled for
March 31. British Foreign Min-
ister Ernest Bevin has insisted
that the elections be held,, de-
spite the resignation of 19 mem-
bers of the Greek Cabinet on the
grounds that elections would be
“impossibly unfair.” Seventy is
the largest number of M.P.’s so
far to criticize openly any aspect
of the government's foreign
policy. ‘

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Att-
lee received a telegram from the
Greek Republican group led by
ex-Foreign Minister Sophianop-
oulos, the HAM (National Lib-
eration Front), the Oemocratic
Union, the ELD (Socialists) and
the Left Liberals, calling for
assistance to “prevent a travesty
of the elections.” Describing the

damaging beyond repair, coopera-
tion and friendship between our
allies, especially the Soviet Un-
jon, through the United Nations
organizations. At the same time,
conservative Premier Drew of the
province of Ontario drags out
the old red herring as a substi-
tute for decent housing, a labor
code and the fulfilment of his
other election pledges, while con-
servative Premier Duplessis of
the province of Quebec proclaims
his government's intention of stif-
ling civil liberties by again resur-
reeting his infamous padlock law.
Conservative Mr. Churchill, re-
pudiated in the last elections in
Britain, calls for an English
speaking alliance of Britain, Uni-
ted States and the Dominions,
against the Soviet Union in place
of unity of the Big Three, which
is, As our convention unanimously
pointed out, the only possible
basis for a just and lasting peace.
What does all this mean? Ob-
viously there are those forces in
Canada and throughout the world
who are working behind a bar-
rage of propaganda whose aim is
to convince the people, instead of
world peace that we all long for,
‘we must prepare for a third world
war.
If we are to win postwar secur~
ity and jobs at decent wages with
homes, we must get back to
sanity, to the policies that will
make peace work and make it
last. It is not too late! The gov-
ernment of Canada, instead of
giving aid and comfort to world
reaction, can strike a blow for
democracy on the path of world
peace for International and Na-

tional security,

70 British MP’s Say
Greek Policy Unfair

reign of terror in Greece, the
telegram says that democrats
cannot take part in elections
that will be an obvious fraud.

Last Word Is
Still Union's

Editor, The Lumberman:

Your “last word” editorial at-
tack upon our IWA president, Mr.
Harold Pritchett, does him unex-
pected honor, and refreshingly
unexxpected indeed is the candor
that compels you to contradict
your suggestions on previous oc-
casions pertaining to “hire” and
“Moscow gold!" That Mr. Prit-
chett “arousues antagonism” is
obvious.

His efforts against the throt-
tling of a democratic Spain, and
against the shipment of war ma-
terial and scrap iron to the Fas-
cists, also aroused your antagon-
ism,

We members of International
Woodworrkers are proud of the
leadership Mr. Pritchett gave in
the maintenance of our pledge of
“No Strike,” and our holding that
pledge assisted you considerably
in maintaining your privilege of
attacking Mr. Pritchett.

The Vancouver Sun could exert
itself towards much more worthy
objectives than this attack upon
a man whose every effort has
been directed successfully and
unselfishly towards the well-being
of many thousands of workers in
this province, which fact inciden-
tally might constitute another
reason for antagonism.

A. H. PARKIN,
President and Business Agent,
Local 1-405, IWA-CIO.

P. WALSH,
Financial Secretary, Local 1-405,
IWA-CIo.

Regional Board
Says 40 Hrs: OK

The Regional War Labour
Board went on record this week,
supporting the application of the
Vancouver Newspaper Guild, Lo-
cal No. 2, an affiliate of the Ca-
nadian Congress of Labor, for the
forty-hour week.

Authorization of a forty-hour
work week by the board, enables
firms desirous of so doing, to
implement a five-day work week
for their employees—a step im-
possible under “frozen” work
Weeks of longer periods.

One of the foundation stones of British justice on which our
Canadian law is based is the presumption that a person is innocent
until proven guilty. However, the Official Secrets Act reverses this
principle. The suspect is presumed guilty until he proves his inno-
cence. The burden of proof is switched from the crown to the ac-
cused. This is shown by the contents of the Act, which in part reads:
“On a prosecution under this section, it shall not be necessary to
show that the accused person was guilty of any particular act tend-
ing to show a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the
state, and notwithstanding that no such act is proved against him,
he may be convicted if, from the circumstances of the case, or his
conduct, or his known character as proved, it appears that his pur-
pose was a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state.”

It further states that “a person shall, UNLESS HE PROVES
TO THE CONTRARY, be deemed to have been in communication
with an agent of a foreign power” if he has visited the adress of such
an agent, consorted or associated with him or if the name or address
or any other information concerning such an agent has been found
in his possession or has been supplied to him by another person.

‘The term “agent of a\foreign power” includes any person who has
been or is “reasonably suspected” of being or having been employed
by a foreign power either “directly or indirectly.”

That such legislation exists and has existed on the statute books
of Canada since before the war has only come to light now as far
as the Canadian people are concerned. This Act also arbitrarily denies
the right of habeas corpus (produce the person) and furthermore,
people may be detained indefinitely for questioning under this Act.

The point we wish to bring out in this matter is the vigilance
that the Canadian people must exercise in watching legislation that
is placed on the statute books by the lawmakers of the land. We must
use our influence as an organization to stop legislation detrimental to
the welfare of the Canadian people.

It is only now that we have found out that a new secret Order-
in-Council 6444 was passed as long ago as October of last year. The
practice of establishing laws by order-in-council is a dangerous one
and very closely resembles the methods of fascist governments of
ruling be decree. The right to legislate and make laws belongs by all
rights to the representatives elected by the people, the Members of
Parliament. Restrictive regulations were necessary in wartime but _
the war is over and legislation by order-in-council should be abolished.

‘As Locals, Sub-Locals and individual members of the IWA, we
should all make our woices heard and our wishes felt by the govern-
ment at Ottawa regarding this undemocratic practice. Resolutions
and letters should be sent at once to Prime Minister Mackenzie King
and your Member of Parliament.

If IS TIME TO CHANGE TO THE DEMOCRATIC PROCE-
DURE OF ALLOWING THE PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES TO
ACT AS THE LAWMAKERS FOR WHICH THEY WERE
ELECTED!

Although the Labor Lobby delegates are all back home the fight
for labor’s demands goes on. Keep the letters and resolutions going.

to Victoria with each mail. There has been no statement by the gov-
ernment yet. LABOR WANTS ACTION NOW.

do Says Delegates
‘Subordinate’ WFTU

NEW YORK (ALN)—The CIO

protested this week against the
“arbitrarry and ill-considered ac-
tion” of American delegates to
the United Nations Organization
London meeting in “depriving
the World Federation of Trade
Unions of an effective voice” in
the UNO Social and Economic
Council. ‘The statement issued
by the CIO executive board,
charged that the U.S. delegation
acted as “organizer of the cam-
paign” which resulted in the
WFTU being granted a “subord-
inate, consultative position of the
same character as that conceded
to national organizations.”

The board, meeting in Wash-
ington, demanded that the issue
of Franco Spain be raised at the
UNO Security Council meeting
here March 25 so that concerted
action can be taken “to secure
the speedy elimination of this cen-
tre of fascist infection and threat
to world peace.” The resolution
also urged that the U.S. State De-
partment immediately break rela-
tions with the Franco regime.

On the domestic front, the CIO
demanded abolition of the poll
tax, which prevents millions of
whites and negroes in the sou-

CIO pointed out that the poll tax
enables “Congressmen represent-

ing but a small minority of their
constituents” to “join hands with
representatives -of the minority
party” and defeat all legislation
“to promote the welfare of the
people.”

A resolution condemning mount
ing instances of police brutality
hit particularly at the recent mass
arrests of negroes in Columbia,
Tennessee, where two negroes
have already been murdered and
much property in the negro com-
munity destroyed. This resulted
from a false report that a negro
had struck a white storekeeper.
‘The resolution also attacked “bru-
tal police actions” against strik-
ers.

The necessity for renewing
price control legislation was
stressed in another reoslution
which pointed out that big: busi-
ness is “organized and geared to
destroy the American standard of
living.” The resolution urged
that CIO affiliates take the ini-
tiative in organizzing consumers
behind the price ‘control fight,
emphasizing that “labor's gains
in the recent wage struggles are

thern states from voting. The

at stake.”