B.C. LUMBER WORKER Ist Issue, November OTTAWA (CPA) — Starts on the construction of new houses in the first five months of 1958 were up almost 60 per cent to 48,621 units from last year’s comparable total of 30,713, according to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Completions in the five months climbed 15 per cent from 39,253 units to 45,196; while units in various stages of construction at May 31 num- bered 76,271, up 26 per cent from last year’s May 31 figure of 60,594. Communists Condemned TEL AVIV (CPA)—Histadrut, Israel’s general federation of labor, has sharply condemned recent efforts by communists in Israel to incite the Arab population to riot against the gov- ernment . The agitation was scored by Histadrut general secre- tary Pinhas Lavon at an Executive Board meeting. Lavon called for “early action” by the labor movement against the Israeli communists. Wage Increases Won Hourly wage increases of ten cents are provided for over 3,800 Canadian workers employed by the Montreal Transporta- tion Commission in a new three year contract which recently came into force. Next July, another ten cents increase and a reduction in the working week from 45 to 4234 hours come into effect. The third year of the contract will see another eight cents ‘wage increase. Retail Sales Hit Record OTTAWA (CPA)—Sales by Canadian retailers hit a record in 1957, according to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Estimated at $14,654,288,000, the year’s total was 2.5 per cent higher than the 1956 value of $14,297,558,000. ILO. Elects Officers GENEVA (CPA)—Pakistan Labor and Education minister Basanta Kumar Dass, was elected president of the International Labor Conference meeting here at the Palace of Nations. The 42nd session saw delegates representing workers, employers and governments of 66 of the 79 member-nations in attendance, Con- ference vice-presidents elected were: Rumanian government dele- gate Eduard Mezincesco; Employer delegate Pietro Campanella of Italy; and K. V. Thaver, Workers’ delegate from the Federa- tion of Malaya. Norwegian Leader Dies OSLO (CPA)—Oscar Torp, 64, president of the Norwegian Parliament and a former prime minister, died here recently. Mr. Torp had been national chairman of the Labor party, mayor of Oslo, a cabinet minister for 15 years, and a member of Parlia- ment for 22 years. He was Prime Minister from 1951 through 1954. Meany Urges Obedience WASHINGTON (CPA) — AFL-CIO president George Meany said here that the Supreme Court’s integration decision “proves that the doctrine of equal justice has real meaning in this country” and merits the “applause and whole-hearted ac- ceptance of all citizens of good will.” ., Meany said that “America has the right to expect all its citizens — from the governor down to the child in school — to abide by the meaning and the letter of the law.” “Rarely A Disaster” Quoteable Quotes: Iain Macleod, M.P., British Conserva- tives’ Minister of Labour stated that a strike was rarely a disas- ter, but simply a failure of human relations. CUT SAWING COSTS IN HALF! DOUBLE YOUR CHAIN SAW LIFE! More than 65,000 chain saw owners are keeping thi saws in top cutting condition with FILE-NJOINT, the easy-to-use sharpener that sayes time ond money, doubles chain saw life. Boost your take-home pay with this economical money- maker. PULEMSONT See and Test FILE-N-JOINT ot your dealer today! i NYGRAN INDUSTRIES LTD. Burnaby, B.C. LABOUR PEACE HAILED BRUSSELS (CPA) — Sign-' ing of a communal agreement to provide labor peace by Turk- ish and Greek trade unions on Cyprus has been welcomed here at ICFTU headquarters. The pact was negotiated with the aid of ICFTU-appointed rep- resentative Zev Levin of Hista- drut. Levin was sent to Cyprus by the ICFTU to investigate the sit uation following “grave commun- al outbreaks and mass arrests”, according to ICFTU headquarters here. “Take me to your leader!” Right at ithe beginning Aneurin Bevan made it quite clear that the leadership of the Labor Party was definitely settled and that the party was behind Gaitskell, After the economic debate Gaitskell re- ceived a tremendous ovation and delegates sang “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow.” No “Yes” Men Although the ranks were closed it was not a conference of “yes” men, and the National Executive Committee narrowly escaped de- feat on the education policy it put before the conference. Dur- ing the debate on “Learning to Live”, one of the 12 booklets set- ting out Labor policy on various subjects a resolution was moved calling for the immediate aboli- tion of the public schools (in Eng- Tand this means private and inde- pendent fee-paying schools), which was resisted by the N.E.C. and defeated by only 3,544,000 to 3,067,000. The Transport and General Workers’ Union supported the resolution. It was pointed out that these schools enabled the wealthy to buy a privileged start in life for their children since attendance at some of these famous schools does open a lot of doors to good positions in government service and industry. More Urgent Matters But the N.E.C. contended that greater priority should be given to more urgent matters; the sizes of classes in state schools should be reduced, slum schools swept Labour Party Closes Ranks By K. C. RATHBONE CPA London Correspondent LONDON (CPA)—With a general election likely be- fore next year’s conference this year’s Labor Party confer- ence was a business-like one with the ranks closed, ready for battle, and newspapermen hoping for the usual quota of “rows” and “split” headlines were very disappointed. away, better provisions for handi- capped children, the ending of the all-age schools surviving, full four year secondary courses, and the end of the 11-plus examination which decides whether a child is to get the most sought after grammar school place or just goes on to a secondary modern school. Some pointed out that it would not be electorally popular to pre- vent parents spending money on their children’s education if they wanted to, and also if the state system suddenly had to take in all those from the public schools it might retard progress on the other points mentioned above. China Resolution A resolution calling for the evacuation of Quemoy and Matsu by Chiang Kai-shek, admission of China to the United Nations, and U.N. trusteeship for Formosa pending self-determination, was unanimously carried. Hugh Gait- skell voiced the views of all when he said: “We cannot and will not be a party to a war designed to maintain the hold of a puppet dic- tator on an off-shore island of China. We have got to prevent what is really the tail end of a civil war from being the beginning of a third world war.” Plan For Progress Conference approved “Prosper the Plough”, which outlined La- bor's policies including the restor- ation of Labor's system of guar- anteed fixed prices, and a Treas- ury backed Agricultural Credit Organization to provide credit at reasonable and stable rates of in- terest. A resolution advocating nationalization of the land was re- jected. Supporters contended that increased mechanization of farm- ing had made many farms un- economic, and public ownership of the land was the only way to alter the size of farms. It was also pointed out that 61 per cent of the land was still owned by landlords who did not farm it themselves. Against nationalization it was argued that there had never been a detailed examination of its pol- itical implications, its cost, or the colossal administration it would require, and that such a proposal at this time would wreck Labor’s chances of winning the next elec- tion. Nationalization was sup- ported by Mr. John Mackie, a well-known farmer and Parlia- mentary candidate, but opposed at the present time by the represen- tative of the National Union of Agriculture Workers, Conference accepted “Plan for Progress” in which is given La- bor’s plans for planned expansion through a high level of investment, Budget measures, full employ- ment, increased exports, and a curb on monopolies and price fix- ing. A resolution on industrial dem- ocracy, which was remitted to the N.E.C,, asked the N.E.C. to dis- cuss with the Trades Union Con- gress the farming of proposals for bringing trade union representa- tives into the managements of publicly owned industries, and means of developing direct partici- pation of workers at all levels. There were 1,264 delegates at the conference — 627 from trade unions, 606 from constituency par- ties, 22 from the federations, five from a Co-operative society and four from Socialist societies. The total voting strength was 6,796,- 000, including the trade union vote of 5,656,000, the constituency La- bor parties 1,090,000 the federa- tions 22,000 the Co-operative so- ciety 20000, and Socialist societies 8,000. For your convenience in sending money out of town or abroad, use our money orders and foreign remittances. For details, call at our nearest branch — we have more tha 700 to serve you, THE CANADIAN BANK OF COMMERCE 100 Branches In British Columbia SENDING MONEY out of town? IRW-196