in the sports world Tunney enters anti-Soviet lists G by Eric Smith ENE TUNNEY, ex-heavyweight champion, has picked. up the gauntlet of anti-Rus- Sian propaganda and carried it into the world of sport. In a recent diatribe against Soviet athletes, Tunney tries to create the impression that Russia dare not take part in the 1948 Olympics. It is true that the Soviet Union is not likely to compete, but not because she feels her athletes are inferior, or because she _ turns thumbs down on athletic compe- tition. Such an assumption is far from the truth. The fact is that while the Sov- iet Union .does not have profes- sional athletes in the accepted American sense of the term, the Olympic Committee has signified its intention of classifying them as such. This is because top Soviet athletes do not work, but devete all their time to playing and practicing their sport. In this respect, they are in much the same category as many Am- erican ‘amateurs’ who find play- ing all sports is a full time job. Naturally, the Soviet Union will not and should not field a team that is not composed of her best athletes. Unless the Olympic com- mittee can settle the difference, the Soviet Union can no enter a team. » eit YSCULTUR (mass gymnastic displays) are very popular in _ the Soviet Union. as a spectator * sport. The ambition of all phys- culturists is to win the state- sponsored badge bearing the words, ‘Ready for Labor ang De- fense.’ One-third of the 6,000,000 engaged in this sport were elig- ible to wear this badge in 1940. Tunney tries to poke fun at this form of sport. But from a. man who headed the P.T. Department in the U.S. Navy during the war such criticism is questionable to Say the least. Soviet sports customs do differ from ours in many respects. In the first place, Soviet sport is ‘sport’ in the real meaning of the word, not a cut-throat and often ‘unsporting’ business transaction. The Soviet people are enthusias- tic soccer fans, and ‘futbol’ games often bring out crowds of 100,000, particularly if contending teams are national favorites, such as the Moscow Dynamos, who could not be beaten on their tour of England, the Spartaks, Torpedos, or stormy Petrels. Before a game, players march onto the field sing- fing, after which the team cap- tains exchange bouquets of flow- ers. Sportsmanship is accentu- ated. j * * x TUNNEY terms the Russians “a country of imitators” because they have borrowed games and terms from American sport. Some can readily be recognized, such as boks (boxing), basketbol, fut- bol, gol and chempion. He does not however explain why Ameri- ca’s best loved sports, American football, baseball, golf and polo are not played. Hockey is gaining rapid strides and may soon be- come the national sport. Before the war the Soviet Union had 750 stadiums which in- cluded» several with a seating ca- pacity of 100,000. She had 14,000 playing fields, 430 swimming re- sorts, 6,000 ski runs, 1200 tennis courts, 2,000 soccer teams and 800 basketball teams. It seems to me that the Soviet Union has come a long way in sports and deserves considerable credit—not criticism such at Tun- ney publicly volunteers, BCER franchise ‘hearing’ cynical farce, people’s views set aside By BRUCE MICKLEBURGH The citizens and delegations who jammed Committee Room No. 1 last week to fight the railroading-through of the new BCER franchise are carrying back to their organiza- tions an eye-witness acount of the. sordid civic dictatorship they saw at work. Indica- tions are that while the nine to pass the agreement in the face of united public disapproval, they . have aroused a hornet’s nest of opposition that is taking shape as a rapidly growing public owner- ship movement. This movement is merging with similar movements in the four municipalities of Greater Victoria and in Burnaby, where the voters have rejected similar agreements _ to that passed without a plebis- cite in Vancouver. Its aims are emerging as the ending of the private power and transit mon- _ Opely of the B.C. Power Corpor- - ation and the establishing of a ‘people’s ‘ownership and contro of this basic public utility. members of the City Council have taken it upon themselves cut short the most damaging sec- tion of the briefs with charges of “repetition” even before the briefs had begn heard, and by sustained heckling. © e Repeated threats by. the mayor to have the room cleared whenever the large section of the public present gave involuntary expression to their feelings. @ Several near losses of tem- per on the part *of Alderman Thompson who had to be _ re- peatedly called to order by the mayor, and statements by Thomp- Son (advertised. during the re- cent civic eleetions as “champion of the workingmen’s cause) that and for plebiscites both on the franchise and on public owner- ship. e Im face of the united front of public opposition, the appear- ance of George Lunn and Ar- thur Sutton, top officers of the company Union BCER Office Em- ployees “Association, to champion the agreement on behalf of “our company”, and give an “out” the council in subsequently pass- ing the agreement. @ An identical company union position taken by J. I. Koman and J. R. Dumaresq in the name of the Brotherhood of Locomo- tive Engineers Local 320 and the to | +t Make Tribune a mighty voice in labor’s fight By IVAN BIRCHARD CLEAR THE DECKS and set your sights for the biggest and best campaign waged on behalf of the labor press! Yes, we’re sure that this year’s PT Press Drive will be bigger and better than ever, because people like you—people who read the Tribune—realize that the labor press is one of our finest weapons in the battle for a better life. x FOR ACTION On questions of wage increases to meet rising living costs, decent living conditions, better housing, play- grounds and hospital services, a better deal for ex- servicemen, you can always count on YOUR paper, the paper that fights at your side for the things that stand for PROGRESS. The. working people can expect no help from the daily press, which can ‘be counted upon to oppose their interests on almost every count. That’s why you need the Pacific Tribune. And now, the Pa- cific Tribune needs you, so... ; * GET SET get your sleeves rolled up, get ready for action! This year the friends of the Pacific Tribune will work to- wards an objective of $10,000 in donations, $5,000 in subscriptions, every penny of which is urgently needed’ if your paper is to carry on courageously as it has in the past. You will be called upon to take part in this worthy effort. We are confident that you won't let the Pacific Tribune down. ‘ - * For the Big PACIFIC TRIBUNE PRESS DRIVE will begin this year March first. The energetic Press Drive Committee has set a deadline of May First for the raising of this sum of money. They have presented this announcement in advance because they know that you, as a staunch labor supporter, will be eager to know how you too can help in this important campaign. Remember the Press Drive dates. .... MARCH FIRST to MAY FIRST $10, 000 in Donations — $5,000 in subs We are sorry that publication of club standings has delayed acknowledgment of some donations in the past few weeks, and wish to thank the many contributors listed below. ; -ACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE 6 The scene that delegates are|the Vancouver Labor Council’s| Brotherhood of Railway Conduc- DONATIONS teporting to unions, community | authoritative brief, presented by | tors Local 267. ' organizations and other civic | Bill White, president of the Ma- - Alde Die KC 2 Fred Olynk SOE $ Ettinger = BSE NEY OE ABA GES nay 1.00 groups occurregd December 30 at]rine Workers and Boilermakers secret Mes : ‘ ervin, || Nick Pethonysh ........-. Re EAUDDALGS8 SEta ima eS 1.00 the special “hearings” held by | Union, Local No. 1, on behalf of ary 0 Ge dttemes, and: a-1) RB. Skoboli'e.. 0%. .us way 9 1.00 rule nn Arg te ciekbarte ed the loopholes of the agree-| ownership fight is focusseq for || Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Nelson OOH ANG ree a eeu 1.00 he hinges a Ney ment, this week on Victoria where a POT Wancare. =. oh.u hse ee ete Me geen bait a ee ae 3.75 : : Winch, CCF city-wid confer bein J. Johnstone ....-....+.-4 : S Ces¥ sy iC ithe ieee eR eae 1.00 HIGHEST PRICES PAID for : o,, Siow ; eer oe a ra ee x Ge Wonthineton oi ese. Y 2:00, Cooper errs, ei 1.00 DIAMONDS, OLD GOLD of the Opposition in the Legis- gether by the Victoria || 4 Friend ...........0+-++ 25 00] AEC CMMSENG co R as 1.00 Other Valuable Jewellery lature, fully aligned himself with | Labor Council, with the objec- || James Smith ...........- 3.00) BSS GMInNa 5 1.00 TAR L A the position of Vancouver La- | tive of laying down a plan for CG. Be Goleman te. 3\0.. &. + 8:00 Ree roratl ley ice. Sot hake 5.00 Ss ad — Ltd. bor Council, and cozimunity a unified Greater Victoria pub- as veut Pete Sh a Re A ide sa : Se REAR re ety Re TS 3.00 i OLTAU LENE, ste han bine tan wl din bie wie h Bn See aie he Sg Re 5.00 79 Robson St. — MAr. 2622 SEO MOO ie. EER | wed: “aUls cand power 1 reaveintth 2.0.0 osteo WES Colac” ol ok oe 1.00 demand for public ownership | system. Nick Stoochnov ........... 1.50} A. Kylekyski ...... BE atlen 1.00 x : x WORN SIECH: oe Phe reek oie 10:00" sete underen<..... st, t. B.00 q Behiles ete zehetec ta Sulit es 1.29}J; Sheplach®............... 1.00 HIGH QUALITY LOGGERS AND WORK BOOTS Fairs & Stark Ltd. Wis i Td COUR sao. chair y,. 2,00) Ro: Campbell #0. S 5.00 HAND-MADE ; mercy: Munda e073 a vis 1.00 | Nick Hnatchuk Sa ee 3.00 All Types of Insurance Magy SUIN ADV, soo kee aa §,00qeINe) Surveys tee ee 10.00 : Real Estate Ge OLS ssa tet Sieoei st gt EU GAS Gin CARO ede Gera con 1.00 : JO H N so N‘ s B OOoT s ' SSDENU CMO OONBIG: 458.05. yay 3.00 | 8 West Cordova Street - = + + + + + Phone MArine 7612 339 W. Pender PA, 3023 oe ery ot ogee a Ro tee otal ee eas os =o = = = Se eee 3 JACK L Louts JOHN STANTON A. R. GRAHAM Hast, 0340 766 E. HastInas |] ~ 1004 ‘Dominion Bank 207 W. Hasti: Street ; : ‘ R ee a Geen sce ngs St EEE AR MISSION TIRE f Hastings Steam Baths : N Publia® REP Al R Expert Masseurs In Attendance 74 eat MARKET PRICES: FOR RAW st wares 502 Holden Bldg. — MAr. 5746 Vancouver, B.C, Shipments Solicited Night: ALma 2177-M Telephone 32 OPEN DAY and NIGHT S s . : i —— ec FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1947