Labor must Unite and fight By HARVEY MURPHY When parliament meets in September, legislation already announced by the federal government will establish trustee- ship over the maritime unions operating on the Great Lakes. Canadian Labor Congress officers have let it be known that they are not opposed to the SIU being taken over by the government. No one should minimize this drastic depar- ture from the principles of organized labor — the establish- ment of government control and regulation dealing with intimate internal matters, collective bargaining relations, and the administration of property and funds — as is now pro- posed. This is a very dangerous road for the Gander trade union movement. But is it really a big departure from actions taken previously? In reading the report of the Norris inquiry, it is quite clear that the St. Laurent government, the shipping companies and the leaders of the A.F. of L. and the TLC set out on a conspir- acy to destroy the Canadian Seamen’s Union, a legal, autonomous union of Cana- dian seamen. A trusteeship was set up at that time and Hal Banks was established as the ad- ministrator. He was brought in from the U.S. — not because he was a trade union leader but because he was an established “tough boy” with a criminal record and was placed in full arbitrary control over the administration of the seamen’s or- _ ganization. : In other words, the cold war was accepted by the official _ trade union movement and that cold war, brought into the trade union movement by force and violence, succeeded in destroying the seamen’s union. * co * We are opposed to the establishment of trusteeship — in any form — in the labor movement. In, opposing trusteeship we are not defending Hal Banks or those who are lined up with him. We are proposing that the labor movement of Canada act on this and on other expres- sions of the cold war. The Canadian labor movement must ‘insist that it be recognized as a Canadian movement by the AFL-CIO and its maritime department. In order to do this, we must establish control over the affairs of our trade unions in. Canada. Above all, it means the recognition that the CLC must come into the 1960s and must cease to be an instrument . _ for cold war domination of the Canadian workers by the U.S. State Dept. It is many years since delegates attending a CLC con- vention (or its predecessors) have had the right to effective _ debate. It is many, many years since trade unionists have dis- _ agreed with the policies of the cold war or have been permitted to debate such questions on the floor of the congress. During _ the past 15 years, many unions have been expelled from the official trade union movement under the phoney charge. of communism. The fact is that trade unions have been compelled to take loyalty oaths. Anti-communism is still the official policy of the CLC, but we have yet to hear of the heads of large corp- - orations being required to take such oaths... . Yet we are now living in a different period. We no longer dwell in the depths of the cold war which blighted the lives of the workers of Canada; the cold war which concealed — under t he guise of communism — a contemplated “hot war” headed by the United States. The fact is that today tensions -are easing and the fear of an atomic war b etween the two _ social orders, which could incinerate the whole world, is lessening. Movements are taking place now to eaSe up on war. But these movements are not yet reflected in the policies of the trade union movement. Yet, this is prcisely what is needed _ = the removal of the cancer of the cold war that has just _ about eaten up the body of trade unionism in Canada; the cancer which for the last 15 years has made the Canadian labor movement an instrument of the U.S. State Dept. * * % : : Let us recognize that the cold war is lifting. Socialism is _ here to stay and many forces are beginning to recognize this fact of life. New ideas are permeating all sectors of social life. The question of peace and war; the question of differing social systems — these issues are reflected in the movements of the world against age-old repressions. The domination of peop!es is being broken — not only in the colonial and semi-colonial countries, but through the great struggle of the Negro people that is now unfolding in the U.S. How long will it be before this cold war atmosphere is lifted in the trade union movement? Recently, the Anglican Church had a convention in Canada and bishops and laymen openly discussed questions that had been taboo over the centuries. It was a sharp discussion — bishops, and even archbishops, heckled and engaged in heated debate. And all observers agreed that the new winds now blowing across the -carth had reached into these places. When ed this come about in the labor movement? The Roman Catholic and Anglican churches are resuming norma! relations with church heads of socialist countries and are sending delegates to each other’s countries. Yet, trade union exchanges along the same lines are still banned by the 2. 8LCcahd AFL-CIO, except to selected areas of the world, ap- proved by the U.S. State Dept. When will the labor movement catch up to the rest of he world? The time for it to unite and fight is long overdue! RIGHT WING SUFFERS DEFEAT Cox, Dowding nominated to hold Burnaby for NDP. Despite rumors of a plot to “get rid of’’ Burnaby MLA Cedric Cox, both he and Gordon Dowa- ing were nominated to carry the NDP banner in their constituency at a meeting last Monday night. Prior to the meeting, rumors were rampant that a flock of Liberals had joined the NDP in. an attempt to capture the nomin- ation from the veteran left wing- er. Cox was criticized in some right wing quarters for taking a trip to Cuba earlier this year. Upon his return, he reported on _ his trip to his constituents. His run- ning mate, Dowding, also ap- peared on the platform at that time. In accepting the nomination, Cox admitted: ‘‘There were re- ports somebody was out to get me.’”’ He went on to tell over 400 people in the packed South Burnaby High School that he was proud of the socialist princi- ples he shared with his father- in-law, the late Ernie Winch, and pledged that he would continue to adhere to them. —Photo by Re Oakes (Vancouver Sun) Nominated to stand for re-election in Burnaby last Monday, w sitting NDP MLAs Gordon Dowding (left) and Cedric Cox (right). raised more than $1,000 for the “Some people don’t think much of the Mine Mill union in the Kootenays,’’ he said, ‘but I am proud that I helped organize it and that it went on to smash the boss. : “T had the backing of all B.C. for my trip to Cuba and have (New Democratic) my return.” _ Cox, who works full time i his role as an MLA, was give! Party since a standing ovation by the audi- ence after the results of ballot ing were announced. VLC merchant navy fight receives backing of CLC Recently, the Vancouver Labor Council threw its weight behind the long overdue campaign to reconstruct Canada’s lost merchant navy. Council secretary Paddy Neale wrote an excellent letter to CLC president Claude Jodoin, asking the congress to take up the fight on this vital issue The PT is pleased to reprint the full text of Neale’s letter: e@ Dear sir and brother: The federal government recent- ly decided to scrap their naval frigate building program, which would save the taxpayers some $374 million, and we understand that it is their intention to waste this money on the construcion of some 62 Starfighter strike-recon- naissance aircraft. We would urge the Canadian Labour Congress to demand that this money be diverted into the construction and subsidization of a merchant fleet for Canada, for the following reasons: According to the Vancouver Sun in their lead editorial of Tues-: day, July 2, 1963—“If we are going to start a new Canadian merchant fleet, we will have to be prepared to pay for it. And pay high.” (This editorial was no doubt inspired by the recent indication by the minority Liberal govern- ment to scrap the $374 million naval frigate program, probably in favor of building 62 more Star- fighter strike-reconnaissance air- craft.) The impression has been creat- ed that normal peaceful economic activity as far as Canada is con- cerned, is too expensive. What are the facts? (Emphasis ours— Ed.) In 1957, the oval Commission on Coasting Trade had evidence submitted to it by Saguenay Terminals Ltd., which showed when they transferred seven 10,000-ton Canadian ships to Brit: ish registry (which even the Sun admits has maintained its ship- ping generally on a compctitive basis), it resulted in an’ operat- ing cost increase of $9.38 per deadweight ton per year. Hence something like $10.00 per ton per year is the amount of the operating subsidy needed in Canada to run a merchant mar- ine on a competitive basis with world shipping. And this figure is a gross one-at that, since it takes no account of the increased taxes from the crews, suppliers, and shipowners that would come Vancouver Labor Council sec- retary, Paddy Neale, is also pro- vincial treasurer of the NDP. He is contesting the key riding of Burrard for his party in the cur- rent election. back into our national treasury. One 10,000-ton freighter could therefore be made competitive by a total operating subsidy of 10,000 times $10—or $100,000 a year gross, or $1 million for 10 years. The head of the Burrard Ship- yards here has stated that the cost of one 10,000-ton freighter is! in the neighborhood of $8 million.’ If the freighters were subsidized for a period of say ten years, the total gross cost would be $9 million per ship. On this basis, the $374 million dollars that is now suggested — ‘should go into 62 Starfighters could instead go into 41 merchant freighters. Is this the kind of cost that is” regarded as too high? Which serves the national interest best — —62 Starfighters, whose useful- ness is questionable, to say the — very least, and which might car- ry one megaton hydrogen bombs —or 41 freighte’s which will carry useful countries to better cement friend- ly relations and strengthen econ- omic ties? (Emphasis ours—Ed.) It is our opinion these are valid reasons for demanding that the federal government stop sqand- ering the taxpayers money on ob- solete military equipment, and use it to improve the economic position of the country, and to create jobs in Canada. e In replying to the above letter, Jodoin pointedly declined to agreé with Neale’s opinions on the Stat fighter, but nevertheless admitte' the need for a merchant navy. He pledged that the VLC can “rest a8 sured that the congress will con tinue to press for this objective.” Dear Friends: NAME Announcing... ‘PT’ Special Offer 3-month Sub for only $1 I would like to receive your lager paper on a 3- month trial basis. Enclosed, please find my $1 payment ADDRESS} =~ Se (This offer expires on Sept. 30, 1963) _ September 13, 1963—PACIFIC TRIBUNE— Canadian goods to all ‘