rT
place before the Non-Partisan re-

gime at City Hall “the pleasure
of the conference.”

@® Attempts will be made to
meet with Veterans Affairs Min-
ister Ian Mackenzie, who is holi-
daying in Vancouver this week, to
determine what definite plans
have been completed of the much-
publicised 1,000 Wartime homes
‘deal’.

@ Because the “spread of polio
(imfantile paralysis) is furthered
by Such factors as appaling slum
conditions” it was resolved “for
the sake of the children, who are
the chief victims of the callous
disregard of our housing authori-
ties,” that our municipal, provin-
cial, and federal governments be
asked “to immediately start upon
a broad program of housing, the
aim of which shall be the elim-
ination of our shameful slums and
the establishment of healthful
housing for every Canadian citi-
zen,

This fifth resolution was moved
by Bert Marcuse, Vice-President
of Canadian Legion New Veterans
Branch 168, and chairman of the
Branches’ Housing Committee.
The preceding four resolutions

were presented by Pete Canavan,

Secretary. of the Tenants Com-
mittee, Old Vancouver Hotel.

Matt McEhwan, chairman of the
Tenants Committee, who presided
over the meeting, expressed the
sentiment of Vancouver’s home-
less citizens when he said. “We've
been getting -promises for the last
two years, but no houses!”

“The purpose of this conference
is to declare war on the atrocious
housing situation in Vancouver,
and work out a simple, effective
Program around which all citi-
zens of this community can rally,”
said Pete Canavan, who along
with Matt McEwan, and hundreds
of other’ veterans are forced to
live in the makeshift Old Vancou-
ver Hotel, through lack of low-
cost homes.

Representing the Associated
Council of Vancouver-South, the
largest single community group in
Vancouver, Effie Jones, said to
the delegates: “It’s about - time
the veterans got together with
labor and* community organiza-
tions, instead of fighting the
battle for homes by themselves.”

Among the groups represented
at the conference were the Army
, and Navy Veterans, Hotel and

Deaths in city jail
warrant public probe

In recent weeks, three men have died in jails in this
area, two in Vancouver city jail, and the other in New
Westminster jail, All three victims were in need of medical
attention while in jail, but evidence shows that none was

provided by police authorities. The
alleged reason for all three arrests
was ‘drunkeness’.

In an action designed to expose
the improper actions of certain
city policemen, and to gain dam-
ages caused by her husband’s
death, Mrs. James McGuire is
bringing a legal suit against the
city police department, and the
policemen responsible for the ar-
rest and confinement of the vic-
tim. This was made known on
July 23, by C. S. Ruhr, solicitor
for Mrs. McGuire.

In an interview with the Pa-
cific Tribune on Wednesday this
week, Ruhr presented some of the
reasons for the legal suit against
the police department. “In my
opinion, McGuire was not drunk,
although this was the charge laid
by police. He, was only half. a
block away from his house, with
his slippers on, apparently going
to purchase tobacco, when police
arrested him,” Ruhr disclosed.

“Prisoners in the ‘bull pen’ with
McGuire, noticing that he tooked
‘blue in the face’, reported this
to the jail guards, asking that he
be taken to hospital, but the man
died of a heart attack in jail,”
Ruhr stated. It is reported that
the victim was thought highly of
by his landlady and tenants, in
the rooming house he resided at.

Mrs. McGuire came to Vancou-
ver from Edmonton, upon hearing
of her husband’s death, and after
discussing the circumstances of

Restaurant Employees Union
(AFL-TLC), Building Service Em-
ployees Union (AFL-TLC), Van-
couver Labor Council (CCL), Van-
couver Housing Association, Civic
Reform Committee, Labor-Pro-
gressive Party and three Cana+
dian Legion branches. All political
parties and Teohnocracy were in-
vited to send delegates, but the
LPP was the only party sending
a delegate, the secretary of the
arrangements committee said, in
reply to a question from an ob-
server.

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“RIDAY, AUGUST 1, 1947

the police action, and other cases
of men dying in .city jails, de-
cided to take legal action against
those responsible. McGuire was a
crane operator at Burrard Dry-
dock, and a member of the Ma-
rine Workers and Boilermakers’
Union (CCL).

McGuire’s death leaves his wife
without any means of support, and
legal proceeding under the Fam-
ilies Compensation Act will ask
that adequate compensation be
provided.

Another death occurred in city
jail on June 23, when Alex Birnie,
passed away as the result of a
fractured skull. He too, was jailed
on an alleged drunk charge. It
was not determined whether the
in juries were received prior to
his arrest or while in the hands of
police.

A coroner’s jury found Birnie’s
death a “misadventure”, and re-
commended proper medical facili-
ties in city jail to treat injured
men. Birnie had an injured lag,
walking with an unsteady gait. He
left a friend’s home on the night
of his arrest in a sober condition,
it was disclosed at the inquest, at
which Coroner J. C. Whitbread
presided on June 25.

Methods of city police in hand-
ling men alleged to be drunk
were described in detail by Bert
Marcuse of the Trade Union Re-
search Bureau ‘in a letter to the
editor of the Vancouver Sun. Mar-
cuse related how city police on
July 23, tossed a drunken man
into a police wagon, in front :of
the West Hotel.

“The crash his head made as it
hit the floorboards (of the sta-
tion wagon) could be heard a

block away. If the law sees fit
it can suitably punish this man
for drunkenness,” Marcuse said.

“But wanton brutality of this
sort is uncalled for. It is too re-
miniscent of Gestapo tactics. The
citizens of Vancouver pay taxes
for police protection—not police
intimidation,” Marcuse concluded.

“. , . he hasn’t slept a wink since the Nanaimo laundry
strike started. He’s so upset because Bill 39 doesn’t work.

BCE gas

The Civic Reform Commit-
tee and the Vancouver La-
bor Council (CCL) will both make
extensive representations to the
Utility hearing, expressing op-
position to the gas price increase.

Vi McCrae, LPP acting Van-
couver director this week sharply
criticised the action of the com-
mission in withholding permis-
sion to the LPP to appear be-

fore the hearing with a submis-
sion. “We feel that this is a dis-
criminatory act on the part of
the public utilities commission.
Obviously we are an _ interested
party and have something to say

For all the news that’s fit
to read, get the ‘Trib’

y IVAN BIRCHARD

Bright news marked the Pacific Tribune’s campaign for
1,500 new subscribers this week, with the receipt of 55 new
subscriptions from Nanaimo, where the front-line battle of
the striking laundry workers against Bill 39 is taking place.

The new subs were gathered in
the past 10 days by an energetic
contingent of Trib boosters in
the Island coal town, led by Lena
Lipsey, who went to Nanaimo
for this purpose.

The sub campaign in Nanaimo
was initiated as a follow-up to
the special feature section on the
Nanaimo strike by Hal Griffin.
Tribune supporters will find the
special article this week on the
plight of a worker’s family to
make ends meet, with rising liv-
ing costs, an excellent selling point.
The article is the work of Bert
Marcuse and Emil Bjarnason, -of
the Trade Union Research Bureau
here. Make it a point to utilize
this issue to introduce your work-
mates on the job, your neigh-
bors and friends to the Pacific
Tribune.

In the near future we will carry
a special feature article on the
hundreth anniversary of the
founding of the B.C. towns of
Yale and Hope, and the subse-
quent contribution of the people
of these towns to the heritage of
B.C. This feature will be of real
interest to all those interested in
the story of B.C.’s growth, which
is not recorded in history texts.

Port Alberni citizens will be in-
troduced to the Pacific Tribune in

a big way on August 31 and Sept-
ember 1 at the Paul Bunyan Day
festivities, when a special P.T.
booth and numerous supporters of
the paper will be on hand sell-
ing subscriptions and individual
papers. Special street canvassing
is expected to take place next
week, when Lena Lipsey visits
Port Alberni,

To further the effectiveness of
the P.T., by having it reach out
to new readers throughout the
province, readers are asked to
write for a sub book and extra
bundles. The address is 650 Howe
Street, Vancouver.

SOCIAL

for
Popular Girls
Sat., Aug. 3 — 9 p.m.
‘FISHERMEN’S HALL
138 East Cordova

REFRESHMENTS
DANCING

would

on this question or we + to

have not made the reques
appear,” she said. x

“Perhaps our long record
activity ior public ownership
of the utilities, against the
monopoly - operated ‘BCEHlectric
Company may have some beat
ing on whether or not our OF,
ganization is an “interes
party in these hearings. Tbe
LPP intends to make 4 sub-
mission . . . opposing the in-
crease in gas rates.” bs
The LPP official said she #
information regarding the com. :
pany’s increased profit rates, ine
other facts “which make the
crease completely unjustified.

ky Ks

Vancouver Street Railwaym”
(AFL) rejected a second BCE sn
tric offer which would wae
granted the 40-hour week,
the same take home pay, 2”!
consideration to be given
ton’s wage request for &
hourly increase, as well 45 os
40-hour week. A. E. (Dal) Grau)
BCElectric company president tion
publicly stated transported
fares in Vancouver will be UP
if the union presses for the W°°
boost. to

The issue is scheduled to 8°
conciliation next week. tas

ana.

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PACIEIC TRIBUNE—P*”