calle Anti-labor drive fits into T By GLADYS CARTER NEW YORK—President Truman’s call for American military aid to Greece and Turkey is being accompanied by the most concerted attack on the progressive movement that the U.S. has witnessed in its recent history. The U.S. Congress now has before it 200-odd bills to restrict the rights of unions plus a number of bills aimed specifically at communists and other left-wing groups. Among the latter are proposals to outlaw the Communist party, to prohibit the sending of communist literature through the mails and to prevent communists from “holdin cases the bills make no attempt to define the meaning of ‘communist,’ although practically all of them specify that they mean not only people who can be proved to hold cards in a communist organization but also those who belong to what are called ‘front’ organizations. One bill, proposed by Rep. John Rankin (D, Miss.), leading member of the House un- American activities committee, provides: “Tt shall be unlawful in any course of instruction or teach- ing in’ any public or private school, college or university to advocate or to express or con- vey the impression of sympathy or approval of communist ide- ology. “It shall be unlawful to send or attempt to send through the U.S. mails any publication the whole or any part of which ad- vocates or the whole or any part which expresses Or con- veys the impression of sym- pathy or approval of commun- ism or communist ideology.” The penalty for violating this bill would be 10 years imprison- ment and/or a $10,000 fine. Un- der Rankin’s definition, any per- son who believes in equality for the Negro race is a communist ang would’ therefore be liable to prosecution under his project- ed measure. Although virtually the entire weight of the press, radio and other organs of publicity was thrown on the side of the new Truman foreign policy and the anti-communist drivé, an unex- pected number of people who have long opposed communism raised their voices against both moves. Henry A. Wallace, whose first reaction to the Truman . proposal came in an editorial in the New Republic, which he edits, started out with lukewarm opposition. However, in a radio speech, March 18 he lashed out at Truman for plunging the U.S. into a “reck- less adventure’ which opens up ‘grave danger’ of another war. His hard-hitting speech was seconded by Progressive Citi- zens of America, which saw in Truman’s move “an extension will take over the policies, meth- ods and failures of the British empire” and will have to be “underwritter: by American dollars and American blood.” Both Wallace and the PCA charged Truman with jeopardiz- ing the work of the Moscow for- eign ministers: conference. The proposal to outlaw the Communist party, raised by Sec. of Labor Lewis B. Schwellenbach at a hearing before a congres- sional labor committee, drew pro- tests from an even broader group. Several union leaders who have sought to bar communists from their own unions have opposed the Schwellanbach proposals as ‘a step towards dictatorship.’ The CIO executive council now in session is expected to issue an important statement on the Tru- man aid-to-Greece proposals and the anti-communist bills now be- of American imperialism which fore congress. UE sparks campaign to revamp price TORONTO—A campaign controls to win broad support among the Toronto public for a roll-back of prices is to be planned by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers at a conference of stewards and leaders of union locals. C. §. Jackson, union president, announced last week that the campaign will include joint ac- tivities with other labor and com- munity groups to arrange public meetings, neighborhood meetings of housewives, delegations to council and members of parlia- ment, all aimed at exerting pres- sure for govern- ment action to re-institute price controls. Similar cam- paigns are _ be- ing launched by this union, ing Hamilton, Mon- treal, Peterboro, & the Niagara Pen- insula and sev- aral smaller cen- ters. | Jackson stated that while in Ottawa this week attending the executive council of the Cana- dian Congress of Labor he in- tends to propose “definite ac- tivities which the Congress should undertake on a national scale so that the power of or- C. S. Jackson ganized labor can be exerted FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1947 to protect and advance living standards in Canada.” Representatives of the Electri. cal Workers union have been in- structed to contact other unions and organizations with a view to joint campaigns in all areas. The union leader said _ that these planning conferences will also discuss the need for wage increases in the electrical indus- try, although the activities for price reduction are hot condi- tioned by wage demands. Jackson indicates his union is making use of ‘wage re-opener” clauses in collective agreements and discussions for renewal in or- der to negotiate wage increases. At the same time the union aim is to “play a proper part in pub- lic action te roll back prices.” Since prices are continuing to rise sharply, he said, the union believes only an “aroused public can stop the vicious reduction of living standards anq restore to the people the purchasing power already lost. Failure to accom- plish this well set the stage for an early economic depression.” Class struggle g any public or union office. In 4 UFAWU convention raps labor code terms Strong protest against change in the, Industrial Concili- ation and Arbitration Act which would “hinder the growth and development of a free trade union movement and ™ some cases take away the right to strike,’ was lodged with B.C. Minister of Labor George S. Pearson by delegates attending the third annual con- vention of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union, which opened in Vancouver Monday. ~ Sections of the Act providing for government supervised strike Scanning press headlines telling of the Supreme Court decision against President Join L. Lewis and the United Mine Workers. Top picture shows secretary of labor Schwellenbach and anti-labor senator A. J. Ellender looking very happy over the news. Below are the men who dig the coal tak- ing the news in a different mood, since to them it is a threat to their union and their living standards. baliots after conciliation, big fines for unions and their members and the sanctioning of ‘company unions’ were singled out for SP®& cial criticism by the 77 delegate® in attendance. In its attack on the proposed government supervised strike yote the convention pointed| out tha its constitution provides that 2° strike may be calleq without 4 secret vote of its members show ing a two-thirds majority for SUC action. Union leaders noted the government vote would be i" practical in the fishing industry “with our members scattered UP and. down the coast, and wou! either deprive our members 1 certain fisheries of the right 1? strike or require an army of 88 ervisors at public expense.” Fraternal delegate Guy wil- liams of the Native Brotherhood of B.C., called for continued closé working relations between the UFAWU and his group, and belled the proposeq provincial la- bor act as a “weapon to smas labor.” British seamen win wage raise LONDON — Monthly minimum pay for British seamen will be plus food after April 1 under terms of an agreement reached b& tween shipowners and the Natiom al Union of Seamen. The agree’ ment, concluded after 18 months © negotiations, also provides for P# holidays for the first time. The union originally tried to & tablish $96 as the monthly mint mum. This was the rate paid dur ing the war but it included $ ‘danger money’ which the employ” ers refused to continue. Under 4 new settlement, an additional * a month will be added to the mink mum for each year’s service uP four years. the ——— LPP national executive reminds King of pre-election promises TORONTO—Sharply critical of the federal government’s price decontro] policies, and reminding Prime Minister Mackenzie King of his pre-election promises to safeguard the living standards of the Canadian people, the National Executive of the Labor-Progressiv® Party forwarded the following wire ‘man Charles Sims: Sharp price increases of prime necessities of life are drastically undermining the well-being and living standards of Canadian homes. Graham ‘Towers’ report implying that Canadian prices will go up another 20 to 30 percent to reach United States peaks, the Minister $f Finance’s statement that home rents may be increased and the railroad demands for 30 percent freight rate increases, are adding to the worries and alarm of our people. The National Executive of the Labor-Progressive Party reminds you of your election pledges to de- fend people’s living standards and urges fundamental change in gov- ernment price policies. To this end we propose: @ Immediate action by your government to roll back prices of basic living necessities by 10 percent, to the prime minister over the signature of Aldet @ Allotment of government subsidies to hold down prices of food, milk and other prime ne- cessities, . @ That your government re- fuse to sanction any increase in rents of residential properties. @ That the Wartime Prices and Trade Board be reorganized as the Peacetime Prices and Trade Board and that the new board include national, provin- ° cial and local representatives of labor, the farmers and the wo- men of Canada, We consider that these measures are necessary to defend Canadian people’s living standards, to curb monopoly price profiteering, and to combat the dangerous infla- tionary trends which are rapidly taking Canada along the path to a serious economic crisis. New LPP body in West Kootenay ROSSLAND, B.C.—At a recent joint meeting of the LPP clubs i? the ,West Kootenay area, held i? Rossland on March 9, a regional committee to direct the work the LPP was set. up. Hxecutiv® officers of the regional comml tee elected are as follows: dire tor of organization, Irene veter®’ financial secretary, Ralph Betty’ educational director, Garfiela Bek anger; literature director, Hat?” McTague; social convenor, G0 don Woods. Other members of tb® ruman plans that. committee are Dan Dozen ane Jack Crowe of Rossland, Fred Pearson of Trail. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE ”