IWA District Conference e-Affirms Political Aim woke kk kok e @ : Policy Determined By WTSATG Wo Vy a N Otscat Pesteaioa ot te International Woodworkers of Ar District Conventions kok ot kok kok ek IWA District Conference meeting in Vancouver, Sept. 8-9, faced the political situation caused by the pending .provincial general election and firmly decided to reaffirm the policy declared by former IWA District Conventions Diserlet Coencll MeL 5c PER COPY Vol. XXIII, No. 17 «55» 22 Ist ISSUE, SEPT. 1956 - VANCOUVER, B.C. “Sp and endorse the CCF as the political arm of labor. The decision came on the sec- ond day of debate, and after all aspects of the Union’s welfare had been carefully considered. The delegates also gave attention to the views of minority sections opposed to the policy formerly upheld by the Canadian Congress of Labor. Before the vote was taken, the members of the Union were as- sured that the position taken by the Union did not suggest any coercion of contrary views that might be held as a matter of con- science and conviction by _indi- vidual members. Policy Now Declared It was also explained that un- der the resolution adopted at the merger convention in Toronto, affiliated trade--unions already committed to political action were at liberty to continue such poli- cies. The records of previous IWA District Conventions, it was stat- ed by the officers, clearly indicat- ed the policy laid down for the Union, and would remain in effect until amended by future IWA conventions. At the same time, the delegates agreed to submit to the merger convention in British Columbia on November 15, a recommenda— tion in line with the former policy of the CCL. Crossman Favors State Schemes . Canadian trade unionists were advised recently in Van- couver by a visiting Labor Party member of the British House of Commons, and a trade unionist, to follow the ex- ample of the trade union movement-in the. United King- dom and supplement industrial action with political action. the British Labor Party, and of the National Union of Journalists, confers with IWA District Presi- dent Joe Morris on questions of mutual interest during his visit to Canada. AFL-CIO Backs Stevenson FOREST PARK, Pa. (CPA)—A recommendation that AFL-CIO members support the Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Adlai Stevenson and Sen. Estes Kefauver, and a warning to three affiliated unions to clean house or face suspension were handed down by the recent AFL-CIO executive council meeting at the ILGWU summer resort home here. the target would be reached. Warning Issued The AFL-CIO executive issued a warning to three member- unions, the Distillery Workers, the Laundry Workers and the Allied Industrial Workers (form- erly ALF-United Auto Workers) against unethical practices in the administration of union welfare funds. A Senate labor subcommittee had stated that officials of the See “AFL-CIO” Page 9 “The speaker was Richard Cross- man, M.P., a member of the Ex- ecutive of the British Labor Par- ty, and a working member of the National Union of Journalists. Mr. Crossman is known as one of the Labor Party’s ablest spokes- men_on international affairs, and a columnist.on a large London daily. The occasions were, first, an informal conference of trade union delegates to the Vancouver, Lower Mainland Trades and La- bor Council, and then the Green Gold radio program. On the broadcast he was inter- viewed by District President Joe Morris, and answered questions regarding the views of British labor on a number of questions. “When queried as to the rela- tionship between the British trade unions and the British La- bor Party, he stated: “We are a federated party, be- cause we are a combination of a political party, the trade union movement, and the cooperatives, a federation. Our constitution provides that the trade unions have a proper voice and a proper influence in making policy. After all, the trade unions provide more than four-fifths of the finances. On the other hand, we take care that it is not a pure trade union party, representing only one sectional interest. We must be a national party, so our Ex- ecutive has balanced representa- See “CROSSMAN” Page 3 Leaders of the 15,000,000-mem- ber labor body will recommend to the representatives of 140 affiliat- ed unions political support of the organized labor movement be thrown behind the Democratic IWA DISTRICT CONFERENCE SEPT. 8 -9 candidates in the November presi- dential elections, Later, James McDevitt and Jack Keuoll, co- directors of the AFL-CIO Com- mittee on Political Education told reporters that they had set a tar- get of raising $3,000,000 to help the Democratic candidates, al- though Kroll said he doubted that pe ee eee WHAT'S INSIDE IWA Pix ...... 5-8 eo Digest anaes 12 LISTEN TO - 6-7 een Gold-CJOR 7.00 p.n.* CJAV~630 pan. Thursday Thursday ¢ CKPG - Ist and 3rd Thursday - 6 pm. hs a “