The nation

‘GIGANTIC CARRIER’

War plans behind
Newfoundland vote

By MARK FRANK

—OTTAWA

EWFOUNDLAND’S recent voting which

gave the edge to the principle of responsible
government over confederation with Canada, it re-
garded here as a temporary setback for the com-
plicated expansionist maneuvers of the King gov-
ernment. 3

Strategically placed at the mouth of the St.
lawrence and dominating Atlantic sea and air
lanes, Newfoundland has taken on new value in

_the eyes of U.S. and Canadian militarists with the

current importance of warfare conducted on a
global basis. Newfoundland was the most heavily
defended area in North America during the sec-
ond World War Canada and the U.S. spent $400,
000,000 for military works. Beis:

Part of a recent American appropriation, of
$100,000,000 to ‘be spent in northern establish-
ments is earmarked for Newfoundland.

Behind the apparent indifference of Canada
towards the outcome of a vote as between re-
SPonsible government and confederation, now
Scheduled for a month hence, is deep concern for
inclusion of Newfoundland in the Canadian orbit.

HIEF reason for the great vote given re-

sponsible government, according to obser-~

vers recently returned from the island, has been
the heavy promise of benefits to come in a fu-
ture economic or political union with the U.S.
A vote for responsible government would
leave the door open for big American dollar in-
Vvestment in military establishments as carried
out during the Second World War, ran the ar-
gument. Its key support came from the power-
ful native merchant monopoly which is resist-

ing the Joss of its -iron-like.grip, over wo NEW
foundland’s economy. Confederation with Can-—
ada will mean knocking a high tariff protection —

Structure into a cocked hat, reducing the mon-
opoly’s profits ‘and creating a flow of cheaper
manufactured goods into the country.

Playing on the desperate insecurity of New-
foundlanders, the merchant group held out the
American “lure” to entice voters into the re-
Sponsible government group, and hold Newfound-
as their private profit C ‘

_ cording developments on the island point to the
almost Czar-like operations of big business. A
sample of this is the presence of some 30. mil-
lionaires in the capital city of Newfoundland,
With a population of only 60,000. . ~

ne ee $ Hy

N indescribably high cost of living confronts

the native population. Milk sold at 29c a
quart in St. John’s last year’compared to the
Price of llc a quart in Canada at that time.
Bacon then selling for 4lc a pound in Canada
took 65c in Newfoundland. Tongue selling at
19¢ a pound took $1.00. Fresh beef sold at 70c
compared to 30c. gs selling here at 46c a
dozen took 85c and $1.05 on the island. Bread
NS sold at 8c cost Newfoundland 18 a
af, ;

All these figures in the light of a rising cost —

of living should be revised upward to give a
more correct picture: today. : :
Complicated by the presence of the native
merchant-kings, the overriding fact is that
supreme bid is being made by the Sl oa
of Canada for inclusion of Newfoundland as
tenth province.
Cettain? itv1s* t y
ber one priority on the m1
of the Joint Defense Bante
sible government can only dela casy
formation of the Newfoundland Eg Seton
gigantic fixed airplane carrier. pales Block
with Canada will, in the iy ae cont
Strategists more quickly place te ce
hental base in ies hands of American military
~ control ;
: stablish-
_ Together with U.S. northern wat ©
ments in Alaska, Greenland and Se al
an unprecedented North American miitary
pon will have been forged: .

- Newfoundland’ is a num-
ins litary planning sheets
A vote for respon-

preserve. Newsmen re-.

y the easy trans-_

*s business

AMUN

‘Complete Drew’s defeat’

—TORONTO

ABOR should leave “no stone unturned” to assure

4 the total defeat of Premier George Drew, in the
opinion of A. A. MacLeod, MPP, LPP leader in
Ontario. :

MacLeod is urging E. B. Joliffe, CCF leader,
to make it clear to Drew “that in no circumstances
-will he be given an acclamation in whatever con-
stituency ke may decide to contest following his
ignominious defeat in High Park.” ‘

The LPP leader holds that Drew’s post-election
statements “make it abundantly clear that he is
prepared to go to any lengths to destroy the labor
movement of Ontario. The labor and progressive
forces must therefore resolve to leave no stone
unturned to ensure his total defeat.”

MacLeod is also calling on Joliffe to demand an
immediate session of the legislature to tackle the
acute housing crisis, to increase old age pensions to
$40 monthly and to reach a speedy agreement with
the federal government to open up the way for a

national socia] security program, public investment
‘program and tax reform.

AUGUST ELECTION

Socred preparing
snap Alberta vote

—EDMONTON.
A few days ago

it was announced that several
Social Credit cabinet ministers have set dates
for nomination conventions in their constituen-
cies. This announcement followed closely on
the heels of CCF victories in federal byelections
and the Ontario provincial elections, indicating
a definite swing to the left away from the old
line parties that has been given strength and
impetus by the LPP’s electoral policy of uniting
all progressive voters on election day behind one
labor candidate.

"The Social Credit nominating conventions. in
view of all these developments, are quite signifi-
scant. (The Edmonton press predicts an election
on August 3 or 10.) It is apparent that the Mann-
ing government sees the handwriting on the
wali and wants to hold an election while it still
has, or believes it has, a chance of getting re-
elected. “ :

There is a great need for a speed-up in
_ election preparations by all progressive groups
“==CCF, LPP, farmer and labor. The progress-
ive forees cannot afford to be caught unpre-
pared and unawares. The LPP so far has nom-
jnated two candidates, one in Calgary and an-
other in Pincher Creek-Crow’s Nest, and may
nominate one more. The CCF has already
hominated in more than half of the constitu-
encies and will undoubtedly contest all but a
few seats. Labor has announced its intention
of nominating in> Medicine Hat and Calgary;
the possibilities of united, labor candidates in
Drumheller, the Coal Branch, and Edmonton

are also being considered. |

The LPP is concentrating its main efforts

on Pincher Creek-Crow’s Nest where it has the
best~chance of electing its candidate and where
its strength is considerably greater than that
of the GCF.
stay out of this seat and permit a united la-
bor vote especially since in all other constitu-
encies CCF candidates have full LPP support.
But the CCF nominated in Crow’s Nest two
months after the LPP did, a vote-splitting move
far more likely to appeal to the Social Credit
and the coal operators than to the people.

The people of the Crow’s Nest ‘Pass are

today “represented” in the legislature by a Social
Crediter. As an individual he has done little or
nothing for the people of his constituency. His
government has done even less.

Now, with an election almost certainly in
the offing, the people of Crow’s Nest-Pincher
Creek—long a center of militant trade union-
ism—have an opportunity to win real represen-
tation in the legislature by kicking out the So-
cial Credit MLA, rejecting the splitting tactics
of the CCF leadership and rallying behind the
LPP’s program and candidate.

LABOR FOCUS ! e

ered them all up in a parcel which they returned

‘and the prospect of overwhelming rejection of

' to downright falsification of the course of the

the IWA’s warning to its members to guard .:

It was hoped that the CCF would |

if it’s from the
boss-it’s a phoney

By BRUCE MICKLEBURGH

T's a tried and tested axiom for any worker
who has been through the mill in the labor
movement that when the employers make a
move in the course of a struggle there’s con-
siderably more than 999 chances out of a thou-
sand that it’s against the workers’ interests.

Likewise when the boss hires the most un-
scrupulous propagandists selling themselves in the
market of pen prostitutes to: slander a union and
its leadership and carries on a vicious propa-
ganda campaign through such people as Bob Mor-
rison then it’s easy for any worker to see that
the only place he can get the truth about his
union is through his union and the labor press.

That’s why IWA loggers at Silver Skagit
Camp 3 set a fine example to the labor move-
ment this week with the treatment they gave
the operator propaganda which is showering
every camp and mill.

When a number of copies of the “Progress
of Negotiations” bulletin issued by the Stuart
Research Service ‘operators’ bargaining agency)
arrived at this particular camp, the boys gath-

to Stuart with a letter which any unionist can
afford to paste in his hat. It said: “This is to
remind you, in case you don’t know, that we
get our information through our own organ-
ization.” .

-

ACED with a union strike fund that is soar:
ing in operations throughout the province,

its union-busting offer in the IWA’s secret
referendum ballot Stuart Research has resorted

negotiations by sending bulletins throughout the _
industry denying that the bosses are demanding
that the 40-hour week be abolished as a condi-
tion of acceptance of their eight percent or ten
cents wage offer.
Stuart 1s using intensive propaganda to get
the workers to believe this before voting nn ee
of the fact he himself laid on the table a pro-
posed operator clause in the contract stating,
“Regular hours of work in all forest operations _
shall not exceed eight hours per. day and 44 _
hours per week.” aes pa eee
As if this were not sufficient indication me
group of operators are moving to_ smash the |
existing contract even while main, negotiations
are suspended pending outcome of the referen-—
dum. Bloedel’s at Menzies Bay, Aero Timber _
and D. and F. Log at Fraser Creek have applied
to the Board of Industrial Relations for permi
to work a 48-hour week and in one case a 52-
hour week. ee ey,
Nothing could have more clearly confirmed

against any move to lengthen the work week

And nothing could have more clearly under-
lined the lesson—when the boss hires a profess- —
oy) propagandist he’s hiring a professional —
iar: : wei ae

. .
~~ ee

sition have added a fillip to the CCF campaign
Saskatchewan where Premier

faces its first test of office at the polls on June

_ CCF in the fight for a united progressive vote.

r

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JUNE 18, 1948—PAGE 7